The Black Queen
by Violet Nyte
Summary: Sequel to Completing the Silence (1x2, 3+4) In disguise and hiding from the authorities, Duo returns to Earth, unaware of the dangers awaiting him as he stumbles into greater darkness... --finished!--
1. Arrival

LSE // 11-27-02  
(The Black Queen - Chapter One: Arrival)  
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content  
shounen-ai/yaoi  
  
Arrival  
  
  
  
"Ma'am?" the customs agent asks, peering towards me and trying to see   
past the stiff, black bird cage veil.  
  
I lift my head and smile, sparkling my eyes at the man in a way I   
know they like. I'm pleased with the resulting flush to the young   
man's cheeks. He is rather cute. At my side, Heero glowers, and I   
have to lower my head again to hide my grin. Heero's adorable when   
he's jealous.  
  
The agent clears his throat, nervously looking to the papers before   
him. "Reason for travel?"  
  
"Personal," Heero replies in a 'don't you dare doubt me' tone.  
  
"Length of stay?"  
  
"Unknown."  
  
The agent blinks, clearly startled.  
  
I lean forward slightly, tapping the desk with lacquered nails,   
"Mister Yuy is being ever so kind in helping me set my late husband's   
affairs in order. I haven't the slightest idea how long it will take,   
but I shouldn't think more than a month or two. Ah...Would there be   
anything special needed if I were to stay longer?"  
  
"No, ma'am, that's quite alright. It says here you were born on   
Earth, so there shouldn't be any problems if your stay overlaps a   
month."  
  
I give a sad smile befitting a widow and step back from the counter   
slightly, mashing Heero's toes with the point of my heels as I do.   
This isn't a mission, I want to yell at him, act like a normal human  
being! But, for Heero, this is normal. Psychos can't be choosers. Or   
something like that.  
  
"My deepest sympathies for your loss, Mrs. Solo," the agent says.  
  
"Thank you," I reply.  
  
He smiles again before stamping the papers and returning our   
travelcards and IDs. I nod to him and all but drag Heero away from   
the terminal, heart in my throat. We've made it. No security check.  
No authorities bursting out from the shadows to drag me away.  
  
"You were flirting with him," Heero says accusingly in his flat   
monotone.  
  
We're safely away from the gates, but that doesn't stop me from   
looking cautiously around before replying, "Why can't I have a little   
fun, Heero? You're not... jealous are you?" I put a hand over my   
mouth in lady-like modesty as I laugh. Giggle.  
  
"No," Heero says stiffly, a small pink blush betraying him, "I am not   
jealous. Are you hungry?"  
  
"Starved, but something tells me I'll give it away if I start woofing   
food down. That's most unlady-like," I answer, eyeing one of the   
restaurants lining the walkway. It all smells so good! My stomach   
gives an agreeable growl and I turn to Heero, "Maybe just a snack?"  
  
Heero nods, walking over to the machines and getting me something. I   
step away from the surging tide of people, glad to be free of the   
crowd. Presently, Heero returns. "I don't see how you're able to walk   
in those," Heero says with a bit of admiration in his voice, handing   
over the bag of roasted almonds.  
  
The scent is pure ambrosia, and I eagerly begin to devour the snack   
with as much control as possible. I look down to the slim black pumps   
Heero's referring to and shrug. "Helen Solo has great and mysterious   
talent. And good balance," I add, tapping my foot to hear the   
satisfying click of heels against the marble. I can see why women put   
up with the discomfort.   
  
"Widow's black becomes me, don't you think?" I ask cheerily,   
smoothing the black material of my skirt over my thighs.  
  
"Hn."  
  
I start to grin wildly in typical Maxwell style, but quickly school   
it into a female's modest smile. From the corner of my eye, I catch   
someone watching my and freeze. Heero instinctively notices and   
casually looks in the same direction, expecting some official come to   
take me. I can tell from the sudden, dangerous glint, but it's only a   
pair of school-boys, staring. Staring.. I'm frozen, eyes caught   
sideways at the boys, fighting the urge to run. Scream.  
  
"Duo?" Heero whispers, voice lowered so far I barely catch it. The   
name shakes me from my fears and I try to smile reassuringly.   
  
That's right, I'm Duo. Two school-boys are no threat to Shinigami.  
  
"Duo, we can go back to L4,' Heero offers in the same low voice. He   
never wanted me to make this journey in the first place.  
  
"No!" I cry, a bit too loudly. Heero places a cautious hand on my arm,  
calming me and warning me in the same motion. "No, I won't run. I can   
do this," I insist. The boys have left no, but it's not their eyes I   
feel. Eyes are on me. My air, my veiled face, my supposedly female   
body.  
  
Despite my insistence, I'm beginning to panic. Dammit, dammit! I was   
so close! Heero's grip tightens as my eyes start to close. The   
world's spinning; I can't breathe. Mustn't show weakness. Mustn't let   
them know it bothers me, their eyes. No. Weakness.   
  
Slowly, I open my eyes and command the world to stop moving. "Heero,   
would you please get me a cup of coffee?" I ask with as much   
composure as possible. I clench my hands to my side to keep them from   
shaking. Heero reluctantly goes in search of my request as I find the   
nearest bench and collapse into it.   
  
I clutch my handbag to me, feeling the reassuring presence of my   
knife concealed within. For protection. I'm able to relax.  
  
What am I doing here? Looking for her, of course. Reflexively, I   
touch the chess piece dangling between my breasts. Breasts. That's   
going to take some getting use to. They look spectacularly real;   
another miracle of technology. The bra's uncomfortable, and they're   
heavy, but at least they look real. Strange.  
  
While I wait for Heero, I fetch out my false ID and study the woman   
staring back at me. Secrecy is of the upmost importance is this to   
work. If the authorities found out Duo Maxwell was back on Earth, and   
very much alive, I'd be locked up in jail. Or worse. The idea isn't   
comforting, but this ID is. Heero and Quatre did a great job getting   
all the right officials to look the other way. Winner's money went a   
long way, plus my expert hacking skills fixed the proper records.  
  
My new alias, this new self, is flawless in creation.  
  
I am now Helen Solo, a sick joke to myself, but a suitable alias for   
one Duo Maxwell. Heero, Quatre, neither knows why I picked that name,   
Helen... Solo. Twisted. I'm sure they understood the play on numbers   
with the last part, So, but no one... Not even Heero, knows who Solo   
was. I never told him, or anyone else for that matter.  
  
Today is Tuesday, and Duo Maxwell is supposed to walk into his   
doctor's office in two hours. I'm unsettled by the idea I'll miss an   
appointment, after I tried for so long to keep a steady attendance.   
Unfortunately, the Good Doctor is on L4 and I am on Earth.   
Fortunately, Quatre knows the man, and he'll make up some plausible   
explanation as to why I'll no longer be coming. Heero wasn't happy   
about that, but I convinced him I'll be okay. And I will be.  
  
I jump slightly when Heero sits beside me, wary concern marked across   
his face. I smile coyly and peer through the stiff veil. "Thanks,   
doll," I say as I take the steaming cup from him.  
  
Heero stiffens, "Stop that."  
  
I blink innocently at him, mascara coated eye lashes slowly closing   
and opening in girlish surprise. "Stop what?"  
  
"This...manner," he says, gesturing to me, "it's just wrong. Don't   
take it too far."  
  
"You're the one who told me my braid was too noticeable. 'How many   
men have long, chestnut braids,' you said. I think this is a nice   
alternative. A widow with a braid is hardly suspicious, and its not   
even that noticeable," I add, patting the tightly coiled knot atop my   
head and under the pill box hat.   
  
The braid is why I'm Helen instead of John or... Bob. My braid is   
instantly recognizable; Duo Maxwell is instantly recognizable. Helen   
attracts little attention. They will never find me.  
  
"That doesn't mean you have to... flirt," Heero mutters, cheeks   
glowing red.  
  
"Heero," I sigh, trying but failing to conceal a giggle. "Am I not   
acting butch enough for you? I didn't know Helen was like that."  
  
"I'm serious," Heero looks away, clearly uncomfortable with so much   
human-ness. The man's a freaking robot sometimes. Part of his   
training, I guess. It's been so long bow, since the war ended. Ten...  
eleven years. We've all grown. Heero's no longer a skinny boy, he's a   
built young man. Sexy.  
  
The warmth of the coffee fills me, destroying lingering chills and   
uneasiness. I abandon the soft, feminine voice I've been using,   
speaking quietly in my normal, carefree tone, "Just when we're in   
public. Underneath this, I'm still Duo. Okay?"  
  
Heero nods, visibly relaxing, "Of course you're Duo."  
  
"Come on, Relena's waiting. Think she'll recognize me?"  
  
"No," Heero replies instantly without hesitation as he stands. He   
offers me his elbow with a very un-Heero wink.  
  
My laughter follows us out of the terminal.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Author's Notes: This was three pages of my handwritten copy. I have 22  
pages so far, fronts and backs, and I didn't even scratch the surface   
of my plot. Muah. Muahahaha... *yawns* Tomorrow is Thanksgiving (my   
least favorite holiday) so I might not get to stick the chapter up   
until Friday, sorry! ...I got two new pairs of shoes!   
Yeah, I'm really tired. How are you liking the sequel so far? *bounce*  
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2002 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.  
LSE - "Violet" (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)  
Email me to join my Update ML!   
http://violetnyte.fallenweb.net 


	2. Revelations 1

LSE // 11-28-02  
(The Black Queen - Chapter Two: Revelations 1)  
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content  
shounen-ai/yaoi  
  
Revelations 1  
  
  
  
Quatre already called Relena, even before we left L4, so she's   
expecting us. I think. I'm not sure what exactly he told her. Wait,   
what did he tell her? What did they tell any of them? Someone must   
have told them, about it, about six months ago, about Heero and I   
disappearing.  
  
"Heero," I call out, suddenly not wanting to enter the revolving   
door   
and face Relena, or any of them. "Heero..."  
  
He looks at me, facial expression blank but eyes alert, "What is it?"  
  
I can't admit my fears. Ah, inspiration! I drop to the ground quickly,  
grabbing at my ankle. Thank you, Mister Gucci. The evil high heels   
gleam as I hold one leg out, rubbing the ankle. I peer up to Heero   
sheepishly, "I guess I'm not that talented after all."  
  
He rolls his eyes and offers me a hand up. As we stand, I purposely   
throw my ankle under, snapping the spike heel off as I stumble into   
Heero's arms. "Baka!" he hisses without any real anger, assisting me   
over to the bench.  
  
"Ooo, I liked those shoes, too," I say mournfully. Outside, I can see   
Relena's limousine. Fear grips my heart like ice. What will she think,  
seeing me like this? It's okay for Heero to see me, to see Helen,   
because he knows me, and knows why I'm...me. Relena might not know   
about...  
  
I absently rub at my lower arms, a gesture of stress I've developed.   
"Heero," I say in the most neutral tone I can summon, "Does Relena   
know what to expect?" I gesture to the broken shoes in Heero's hand.  
  
"Hn. Quatre called her."  
  
"Well, yes, but what did he say? Is she expecting Helen or.. Duo?" I  
whisper the last part.  
  
Heero's studying the shoe carefully, not meeting my eyes. Somehow,   
I'm not that surprised when he pulls out some super-glue from a   
pocket and starts to fix the broken heel. "Are you wondering what   
excuse we gave for your sudden removal from life?"  
  
Damn you, Heero Yuy. "Yes," I answer, trying not to betray my fear in   
my voice. Again, I find myself rubbing at my arm, feeling through the   
thin layer of my blouse to the uneven patches of scars, some better   
healed than others. My scars. I look up to find Heero watching me,   
cobalt eyes wary. I look away, "Does she know anything?"  
  
"No."  
  
"No?" I repeat in disbelief, eyes widening. "People just don't away   
for six months, Heero. What, did you tell her I was on vacation? That   
me and you were on some kinda honeymoon?" I'm angry. Why am I angry   
at poor Heero? For what, protecting my spotted reputation?   
  
I can just see Quatre, telling Relena, 'Duo went crazy and we had him   
put in an institution, but his roommate killed a pair of orderlies   
and he held one of the doctor's at knife point while escaping. He and   
Heero fled to space together, isn't that perfectly darling?'  
  
"Duo?"  
  
Heero's voice shakes me from my wandering thoughts and I blink at him   
in surprise. Has he been talking to me? "Duo," he repeats, "Quatre   
told her that I needed some place to stay for a few nights. I   
insisted on letting you decide on what, if anything, we should tell   
her at this moment. Relena has been on diplomatic travels for the   
past year. If it's...ah... too soon, you don't have to tell her   
anything."  
  
It's more than I've heard from Heero in a while. "Oh," I say meekly,   
looking at the newly repaired shoe Heero's holding out to me. I   
suddenly grim impishly, causing Heero to blink in surprise. "Relena   
just thinks she's getting you for a guest?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I bet crafty Relena's thinking she can secure some quality Heero   
time, eh?" I laugh at the stricken look on Heero's face. "Let's go. I   
can't wait for Relena to meet Helen," I say gleefully, bounding up to   
my feet and grabbing Heero's hand. I pause for a moment before the   
revolving door, then push forward and out to meet Relena.  
  
"Heero!" Relena calls, waving from her spot by the limo. Darkly   
tinted windows, sleek white paint with gold details... Relena's   
riding in style! Government style, at least.   
  
It's daring, going to Relena's first thing, but I'll be untouchable   
by the authorities. Who would dare accuse the darling Relena   
Peacecraft, head of the whole dang government, of hiding little ol'   
me? I'm starting to wonder if anyone's even looking for Duo Maxwell.   
  
I'm sure that if I tried to return to Earth under that name something   
would show up on my records, possibly death. They must think I'm dead   
by now. Please, let them think me dead.  
  
Seeing Relena voids my carefully constructed plans. I can't lie and   
deceive her, even though I really want to. I can't let her think I'm   
not really me.   
  
Heero offers her a slight nod in greeting, but she doesn't let him   
escape that easily. Relena tackles Heero into a hug, and I have to   
conceal a laugh at the panicked look on his face. Detaching her from   
around him, Heero gains some between them and says, "Relena, thank   
you for coming."  
  
"That's not even necessary, Heero Yuy! Don't you dare try and thank   
me. This is what friends are... Oh," she says, seeing me hovering   
nervously behind Heero. She blinks in confusion, looking closely at   
me for a moment and then turning back to Heero. "Quatre didn't tell   
me you were bring a...uh, friend," she says warily, one eyebrow   
raised in a questioning manner.  
  
"Relena, meet..." Heero starts to say, thinking I want to be Helen.  
  
I step forward, cutting Heero off with the movement. And with a well-  
placed heel. "Relena, it's me," I state simply in my normal voice.  
  
Heero looks to me in surprise, then back to Relena, who has turned   
the most lovely shade of white as she stares at me. "Duo?!" she   
shrieks, breaking the stunned silence. I look around to see if anyone  
heard her out burst while Heero all but shoves her into the car.  
  
I get in as well and shut the door firmly, feeling safe behind the   
dark windows. As soon as I said it I knew I should have waited.   
Beside me, Relena's huffing furiously and gawking at me in shock.   
"Duo!" she cries again, looking from Heero to me in complete   
confusion. "I didn't think..you were...I mean... Are those real?" she   
screeches, pointing to my breasts.  
  
"What?" I say in surprise, looking down at them, "No! No, Relena,   
it's not like that," I protest, feeling my cheeks turning crimson.   
Christ, she thinks I'm a trans...eh!  
  
"Duo's in disguise, Relena. His alias is Helen Solo, please use it   
when we're in public," Heero intones in a perfect Heero way. Trust   
Heero to sum everything up into three, neat little sentences. Thank   
you, Mister Perfect Soldier.  
  
"Disguise?" Relena repeats with much relief. Her forehead creases   
with sudden confusion, "Why? You two aren't involved with anything...   
illegal, are you?"  
  
"No! I mean, not really. Kinda. Uhm, well... actually, in a way we   
are... ah, Heero?" I plead, looking across the car's interior to him.   
We're moving now, the oblivious driver taking us to Relena's royal   
hovel.  
  
"It's a long story," Heero says with a sigh.  
  
He keeps it simple, leaving out the embarrassing and emotional parts.   
I can tell Relena's dying of curiosity as to why I was in the mental   
hospital to begin with, but Heero gratefully knows better than to say   
why. He doesn't mention Natasha. Skips right over that entire   
section. It's important, but at the same time it's not.   
  
Through the whole thing I rub my arms, looking out the window to   
watch the scenery. Even now it's very surreal to even think about   
what happened. If it wasn't for the scars and the nightmares, I'd   
deny the whole thing ever having taken place.   
  
Of course, that's why I tried to do in the first place, and everyone   
knows what spectacularly THAT worked. With my thumb, I trace over a   
particularly wide scar, taking reassurance from the road map across   
my arms.  
  
Relena patiently holds her questions until the end, where she asks,   
"So, why are you here?"  
  
I jump in, "We're looking for someone. So, what do say, be a good   
girl and let us stay? I know you were expecting a shackable Heero,   
but..."  
  
"What?!" Relena cries shrilly, cheeks flushing, "Duo, you're   
infuriating! I was not even thinking of 'shacking' Heero!"  
  
I grin foolishly at her as she admonishes me, and over her shoulder I   
can see Heero's dark look. Not for what I said to Relena, but for how   
I quickly and subtly changed the subject. He disapproves of this   
whole thing. I can tell.  
  
I meet his eyes and shrug slightly.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Author's Notes: ...I hate Thanksgiving  
Sorry this was kinda short, but the next section is enough for a full   
chapter, so I had to cut this one off here to save room and... O_o  
YAY! I already got a review! *skips around for joy* Thank you very   
much for your support! Uhm, that's about it I guess. If you're at all   
confused as to what's going on, please go and read the first story,   
Completing the Silence, before reading the sequel. ^_^()   
You can find it directly at violetnyte.fallenweb.net/silence or in my   
profile at FFN or MM.org  
Feel free to ask me any questions you may have!   
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2002 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.  
LSE - "Violet" (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)  
Email me to join my Update ML!   
http://violetnyte.fallenweb.net 


	3. Revelations 2

LSE // 11-29-02  
(The Black Queen - Chapter Three: Revelations 2)  
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content  
shounen-ai/yaoi  
  
Revelations 2  
  
  
  
  
I'm alone.   
  
"Glorious peace," I mutter, moving through the empty rooms. Heero has   
been hijacked by Relena for a tour of the gardens. I know he's going   
to be angry with me for backing out like I did, but I don't care.   
  
I enjoy the solitude as I change out of my black traveling suit -   
isn't it neat how women have all these specific outfits for each   
activity? - and into a sleek black robe. Somehow, I manage to find   
the bathroom within the mammoth apartments Relena allocated to us. I   
take three bottles from the pocket of the robe and line them up on   
the counter.  
  
Shampoo, says one. Conditioner, reads the other. Prescription, calls   
the last. Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea. After checking the   
time on my watch I take out one of the round pills and swallow it   
without water.   
  
Somehow, I'm not at all surprised Relena has stocked bars of soap and   
hotel-sized bottles of shampoo in her guest bathrooms. I brought my   
own kind all the way from L4; there's no way I'll use hers instead.   
Thank you, Miss Peacecraft, but I'll use my own.  
  
I hang the robe on the hook and avoid looking in the mirror, as I've   
developed a severe disliking to my reflection. Snatching the   
remaining two bottles off the counter, I get into the shower and   
close the swirled glass door behind me.   
  
Only in the security of the shower do I dare study the chaos of the   
scars along both arms. From wrist to elbow the pale skin is crossed   
with even paler marks, horrifying testament to the fury I once   
inflicted there. That one moment shattering the peaceful life I had   
been enjoying away from the terrors of water.  
  
I very nearly killed myself, and I don't even remember if I was trying  
to do that. I don't think I was, but I wasn't exactly thinking   
clearly. Not clearly at all.  
  
I turn on the water and reach up to uncoil my braid from its place   
atop the soft mass of chestnut hair. I let the plait fall free,   
enjoying the feeling of the thick rope hanging down my back before   
slowly un-braiding it. The water clumps the hair together, denying me   
the feeling of cascading waves, but I happily wash and lather my hair   
anyways.   
  
My lovely hair, singularly the source of so much pride and pain. I   
blamed my hair for it all, and came close to loosing my precious   
braid to rage. That's what I was originally trying to do when I gave   
myself these scars.  
  
I was only trying to cut my hair.  
  
It was Sister Helen who first braided my hair. Dear Sister Helen,   
whose name I stole and paired with Solo's. Orphaned and abandoned to   
the streets, Solo watched over me at first. But when he was gone, I   
somehow managed to be saved again, this time taken in my the Maxwell   
Church, from which I stole my original last name. Even Duo I created,   
a name to call myself when Solo died.  
  
Sister Helen braided my hair for sanitary reasons, but I kept it that   
way. At first for practical reasons, as away to keep it out of my way   
when I performed my thievery, but later out of respect for the dead   
Sister.  
  
That it made me look more feminine was never a problem.  
  
Until...  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Stepping out from the shower, I grab one of the fluffy white towels   
and tie it around my head, squeezing the water out from my hair and   
securely it atop my head like a turban. Yeah, I'm talented. I wrap   
another towel around my body and walk back through the rooms to hunt   
down my suitcase.  
  
I just have one duffel bag, packed loosely with only a few pairs of   
clothes. The narrow skirt and blouse I just took out, plus a few   
other skirts and tops. Shuffling through the clothes, I realize I'll   
have to buy more. Soon. Sighing, I pick out a comfortable sweater and   
a long black skirt. Too bad we couldn't find any good pants in my   
size in time. Maybe Relena will know of a few stores.  
  
"Want me to braid your hair?" Heero asks as he steps into the room.  
  
"I got it," I reply, nimble fingers already threading the wet   
strands. "Have fun with Relena in the garden?" I ask innocently,   
hardly able to resist grinning.  
  
"You're a sick man, Duo," Heero grumbles.  
  
His words, however good natured, send a chill down my spine. My   
fingers freeze in mid-plait and I feel the blood rush from my face.   
Sick Duo. You're a sick man. Sick. Crazy. I'm crazy, was crazy? Am   
crazy. Heero's right. Is.  
  
"Duo!" Heero shouts, grabbing my shoulders and giving a good shake.   
  
The world slows its blackening spin and blink a few times to clear   
away lingering spots. My fingers resume their frantic braiding, with   
desperation now, instead of calm. Heero closes his hand over mine in   
a rare display of affection, easing my fingers away from the hair.  
  
"Are you going to wear that to dinner?" he asked gruffly. dragging us   
both out of a dangerous situation.  
  
It's a moment before I can respond, forcefully blocking out the panic   
threatening at the edges of my frail hold with reality.   
  
"Dinner?"  
  
Heero nods, visibly relieved. "Relena invited us. Do you mind?"  
  
"No, but I haven't really anything pretty to wear. You're bad at   
picking out clothes, Heero."  
  
"I'll take that as a compliment. You can borrow something of Relena's;  
I think she's your size."  
  
"Hardly!" I laugh, imagining myself in her pinks and frills. "Maybe   
I'll just wear this and make Relena envious of my lush body. What do   
you think, am I sexy? Heero?"  
  
He glares in response, but I catch the faintest bit of amusement in   
those cobalt hues. You're no match for the great Duo Maxwell, or the   
equally talented Helen Solo, Mister Yuy.   
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The halls are quiet, my soft black boots making little noise against   
the smooth flooring. Marble: nice. After a dinner of forced cheer,   
and having to put up with Relena, I'm glad to have a few moments to   
myself. Soon the peace will get annoying, but Heero's around here   
somewhere, I'm sure. All else fails, Relena's good for a few hours of   
entertainment. She's fun to annoy.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
I jump, thinking the question directed at me, but its too distant to   
be meant for my ears.  
  
"This is my house."  
  
Recognizing the voices, I creep along the hall, peering through each   
door until I locate the conversation. Heero's back is to the door,   
and beyond him I can see Relena, standing close and I'm not liking   
the look in her eye one bit. I'd thought her over her childish crush   
on my Heero.  
  
"Relena, stop it," Heero mutters, taking a step to the side. "I... I   
don't even like women," he says in a barely audible voice, ears going   
pinker than Relena's jacket.  
  
"Don't give me that," Relena replies, voice coated with sugar and   
honey, "After all, you like Duo, and he's a woman..."  
  
"No, he's not! Don't say that, you don't understand."  
  
"I understand he looks like one; acts like one, simpering around in   
those high heels of his. If you can summon feelings for him, why can't  
you for a real woman?"  
  
I've heard enough. I step into the room, "Relena, Heero, I'm going   
into town now. Do you need anything?"  
  
They both freeze, eyes turning to me in surprise. Relena's look is   
quickly turned to one of suspicion and challenge, while Heero goes   
blank. No doubt trying to think of a suitable lie. I smile innocently,  
making it clear I heard every word.  
  
"Don't..." Heero starts to say, but I'm already gone. I don't want to   
hear his excuses.   
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"I will just call," I say to the driver as I get out of the car. Like   
hell I'll call, but anything to get the man to go back to Relena's.   
  
As the sleek vehicle pulls away, I'm left standing there, black clad   
and plain. The braid hangs down my back in a straight line, possibly  
dangerous if someone's looking for me. Not that I think there's a   
massive search for little ol' Duo Maxwell.  
  
Clothes. I need new clothes. I had the driver take me to a classy   
shopping mall, so if Heero asked where I went, he wouldn't be   
concerned. Not that I care what Heero thinks. Let him be worried.   
  
I realize with disappointment I can't afford any of expensive   
merchandise they have at these stores. Stealing is an option, but I   
can't take the risk. Just because there isn't a massive search   
doesn't mean my finger prints won't bring up Duo's record and not   
Helen's.  
  
I set out walking, looking for a good store. Somewhere cheap, but   
with nice things. Spotting one, I quickly maneuver through the   
streets and the shop door right as the sales lady brandishes the   
keys, "Oh, I'm afraid we're about to close..."  
  
"That's okay, I'll only take a minute," I assure her, heading over to   
the snazzy party clothes. Skimming over the racks quickly, I hunt for   
anything suitable. I'm rapidly getting tired of skirts, and soon I   
find a pair of black pants. They sparkle. How perfectly un-widowly.   
Oh well, apologies to my fake dead husband.   
  
"I'll just wear them out," I say to the sales lady, borrowing a pair   
of scissors and snipping the tags off. Along with my new pants, which   
look darn good, if I may say so, I've got a new top. Dark Burgundy   
wine in color, tinted somewhere off to more purple than red, with   
long, tight sleeves and a V neckline. It's slightly fuzzy. The tag   
said it was velvet. Warm wash, machine dry, low tumble, no bleach.  
  
"Oh, do you have shoes?" I ask suddenly, looking down to the boring   
black boots. I pick out a pair of sturdy but delicate looking high   
heels, perfect for dancing.   
  
I part with my credits and leave with my old clothes in hand. I   
abandon them to the nearest dumpster, not in the mood to hang on to   
them any longer. I'd give them to a needy orphan, but I don't see   
any. Why couldn't I have grown up here? Of course, I am still on the   
good side of town. If there is a bad side.  
  
It's still too early for any really good clubs. I could go back to   
Relena's and continue simpering around in my sexy heels. Ha. This   
whole thing has been a disaster, right from the start. The only thing   
keeping me from just grabbing Heero and fleeing back to the comforts   
of space is the knowledge that somewhere out there is Natasha.  
  
It's a wild goose chase for her, but I owe her at least that much. My   
former roommate, an enigma and a savior all rolled into one complex   
package with crystal eyes. Her eyes were a pale blue, tilted to the   
edges in a very cat-like manner.   
  
I thought her dead. I thought her gone.   
  
I need a drink.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Author's Notes: The left stack of papers, those I've already typed,   
keeps getting bigger, but the right stack still looks huge. ^_^ yay,   
that means I still have a while to go before I run out of pre-written   
material. Of course, I'm adding and changing things as I type.  
I'm glad to see some of the more rabid "Completing the Silence" fans   
are embracing the sequel...yay!   
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2002 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.  
LSE - "Violet" (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)  
Email me to join my Update ML!   
http://violetnyte.fallenweb.net 


	4. One More Round

LSE // 11-29-02  
(The Black Queen - Chapter Four: One More Round)  
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content  
shounen-ai/yaoi  
  
One More Round  
  
  
  
  
Judging by the empty glasses before me, this is my third shot of   
something alcoholic, and somewhere around my tenth drink this   
evening. I'm not usually a heavy drinker, but haunting memories beg   
to be drowned out in a river of alcohol. Plus men keep buying me   
drinks.  
  
I can definitely see why women put up with annoying shoes and   
uncomfortable clothes. I look damn sexy. Of course, I've often gotten   
the same reactions from men at gay clubs, but its somehow more   
rewarding this way. Or maybe that's because I'm really drunk.  
  
"Another for the lady!" a tall blonde at my side calls.  
  
"Boys," I laugh, swaying back on my stool and against a hard expanse   
of muscular chest. I lay a hand on a nearby shoulder, "give the lady   
a break!"  
  
The laugh in return, but still another glass appears before me, the   
dark liquid quivering at the rim. I try to ignore it, but pressing   
fear of so many dangerous bodies pressed to me causes a sudden lurch   
inside. I grab the drink and knock it back to the cheers of my   
companions.  
  
"Helen, show us how to dance," someone calls as the juke box storms   
to life and blares a familiar tune.  
  
"Shameless, all of you!" I slur, hopping off the stool and all but   
colliding into one of them. I shuffle away and off towards the small,   
impromptu dance floor. In fact, it's just the empty space in front of   
the juke box. I sway a little to the music, turning to face the   
drooling crowd of men still standing over by the bar.   
  
"It's not fun by myself," I pout, lowering one painted lip in an   
expression of mock anger. I've found men to be helpless victims of   
it. Bodies swarm to surround me as the beat pounds through the ground   
and through our minds. Mine at least.  
  
--I'll never forget  
--that look in your eye  
--I'll never forget  
--when we say goodbye  
  
I know the song and start to murmur the words, softly to just myself.   
"Hold me, tease me, while the night is ours. Make this a moment to   
remember." I sound pretty decent. The wonders of alcohol, let us   
marvel.  
  
"Hey, baby," a voice beside me croons, a strong hand closing over my   
arm. I start to jerk away in panic, but the grip tightens. A blonde   
woman has entered the party and my former attentive slaves have   
drunkenly turned their attentions to getting her wasted as well. When   
I stop dancing, no one notices.  
  
"You're so pretty," the man says huskily, voice coated with fake   
emotions and many layers of whiskey. How attractive.  
  
"Hands off," I say as coldly as possible. It'd be more convincing if I  
wasn't slurring and swaying. Why did I have to let those pigs buy me   
so many drinks?  
  
"Don't play that way, baby," he repeats, starting to drag me away.   
  
Panic sets in. I see darkness, pain, screams. I try to pull my arm   
free, fumbling to my side for the knife contained within my purse...   
which is lying atop the bar, beside my empty glasses. Great place a   
defensive weapon, Duo.   
  
"Let me go," I cry, kicking at his shin uselessly with my flimsy   
shoes. Why didn't I get steel toe boots?  
  
The man only grins drunkly, "Hey. Baby, don't be a tease."  
  
--I'll never forget  
--when we say goodbye  
--hold me, tease me  
  
"Shut up!" I scream to the juke box, no longer wanting to hear the   
song. Evil machine. "Let go!" I shout, unheard over the loud music.   
He's dragging me, we're almost to the back room. I can see the murky,   
dark interior. Dark.  
  
"Nooo!" I wail, finally yanking my arm free. I should pull out my   
killer Gundam pilot skills and rip the bastard open, but fear drives   
my actions now, instead of logic. I make a dash for the door.   
Abandoning my purse. With my knife. And money.  
  
It's dark outside, too. The bar isn't on the safe side of town. Pools   
of weak light stand at street corners populated by whores and drug   
dealers. The darker side of Relena's perfect kingdom.  
  
For a moment I huddle in the relative safety outside the bar, wrapping  
the darkness and the quiet into a shroud about me. I am Shinigami.   
Shinigami thrives in the dark. Shinigami was raised in places far   
worse than this. To Shinigami, this is nothing.  
  
I start walking, tightly wrapped arms hugging the velvet. Time, what   
time is it? I haven't the faintest idea. My watch face lights up a   
brilliant green when I press the tiny button on the side. It's a new  
watch, smaller and more feminine than my other, which also had a   
light feature. I remember making a vow when they had me thrown in   
solitary confinement I'd get a watch that glowed.  
  
The time is just about three-o'-clock. Two fifty-eight if I want to   
be precise. I've been AWOL for just about seven hours now. Heero must   
be frantic. Nah, sleeping. He doesn't care. Come back soon, K?   
Bye-bye.  
  
Pay phone. A phone, but pay. I haven't any money. I step off the curb   
and wave one arm, calling, "Taxi!" loudly into the empty street.   
Northing. Worth a shot, I guess.  
  
"Hey, sugar, this is our corner," a silken voice calls, punctuated by   
a loud snap of gum.  
  
"Not working," I reply.  
  
"Had a bit too much fun at the bars, hun? Ain't gonna be a taxi by   
here. Not much traffic, 'cept drugs and Johns. Go on, doll, get off   
our spot 'fore you chase 'em all away," the glassy eyed whore says,   
shifting her weight on spiked heels.  
  
I'm about to give up and just find a nice doorway to rest in when,   
miracle of miracles, a cab appears and stops right there on the   
corner. The prostitute and I stare at it in amazement while the other   
whores laugh at us both. A business man gets out of the cab and I   
dart forward, climbing in before the blessed taxi can leave.   
  
I recite off Relena's address, receiving an angry glare of disbelief   
in return. "Yeah, right, and I'm the fucking prince. Where to?"  
  
Where to? I rattle my brain and finally just shrug.  
  
"Too drunk to remember where you live? How about just a hotel, then?   
To sleep it off."  
  
I nod, hotels have free phones. No pay. I'll have to call Heero to   
pay for the cab. Not that the driver needs to know I have no cash.  
  
I look at the passing scenery, the fear and adrenaline leaving my   
system as all I feel is a numb sense of something being wrong. I look  
at the nameless faces of the hookers as we drive by, not really   
paying attention until I see something that makes my blood run cold.  
  
Standing apart from the pack, one lone girl stares back at me. Pale   
blue eyes glitter out from the darkness, a face framed by jaw length,   
black hair caught in the moonlight. The multi-colored clothes of the   
street walker are foreign to me on her, but besides that it's the   
same face beneath the thick makeup.  
  
Natasha.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Author's Notes: Wah, sorry this is so short! I couldn't find a better   
stopping place, because the next few sections really need to go   
together and ::rambles apologetically for a few minutes::  
BEDLAM!! Whoooo! Go state! Bedlam is the annual battle between OSU   
and OU, and for the second year in a row OSU won ^_^ yay!  
Okay, I've had this chapter ready and typed since Friday night...   
*sigh* It's Saturday night and the evil known as my brother won't   
give me even five minutes of online time so I can post... Good thing   
he will be moving out soon!  
  
--song lyrics  
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2002 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.  
LSE - "Violet" (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)  
Email me to join my Update ML!   
http://violetnyte.fallenweb.net 


	5. Past Tense

LSE // 12-1-02  
(The Black Queen - Chapter Four: Past Tense)  
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content  
shounen-ai/yaoi  
  
Past Tense  
  
  
  
  
"Look, I'm just gonna call my friend. He'll pay you. Leave the meter   
running if you want. Just wait a sec, K?" I mumble, moving quickly   
away from the taxi and its glaring driver. The hotel isn't all that   
seedy, so I guess the cabbie isn't that bad of a guy. Nice to know he   
wouldn't take a young, drunk woman to some shack-motel.  
  
Hotels have free phones, plus they're warm and safe. Lit. Lots of   
light. Light is very good.  
  
Ring. Once, twice, pick up! Three, four... I smile to the clerk and   
turn away before he tries to ask for proof I'm a guest. Ring... click!  
  
"Aren't you suppose to say moshi something? What? Never mind. Let me   
speak to Heero. Yuy. Of course he knows me. Don't give me that, I   
know he's there. Relena, then. Let me speak to Relena. So wake her   
up! Then get Heero. This is Helen." I sigh, shifting the phone to my   
other ear.   
  
Soon, I promise my tired body. Soon you can collapse and drift off to   
the happy land of who-gives-a-fuck.  
  
After what seems forever, Heero's tired voices comes over, "Hello?"  
  
"Hey. I'm at the hotel. A hotel? Whatever, bring money for the cab,   
K? Left my purse somewhere."  
  
"What?" the sleepiness snaps out of Heero's voice immediately, "D -   
Helen? What hotel? Are you alright? Where are you? Do you realize   
what time it is?"  
  
"Yes," I reply in all seriousness. I know perfectly well what time it   
is; after all, my watch glows.  
  
"What? Never mind. Where are you?" Heero asks, stressing each word   
very carefully. What's that in his voice I hear? Is the great and   
mighty Heero Yuy, Mister Perfect Soldier himself, worried?  
  
"Hotel. Uhm," I glance around, "Gold Leaf. It's warm here, Heero, and   
gots lots of lights. Be soon, K? K, bye," I hand the phone to the   
clerk with another smile, ignoring Heero's frantic shouts from the   
other end.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Helen? Helen?" Heero searched the area quickly for anyone listening   
before shouting back into the silent receiver, "Duo? DUO!"   
  
Click.  
  
Standing in the hall in only his boxers, Heero stared in disbelief at   
the phone before setting it back on the table. He should have gone   
looking for Duo when he first left!   
  
Storming back to his room, he threw on the nearest available pair of   
jeans and all but ripped a shirt off a hanger. Without being told, he  
knew something had happened. Duo just hadn't sounded right. Horrible   
images flashed through his mind, horrible scenarios Duo could very   
well be caught up in. Where the fuck was the Gold Leaf Hotel anyways?  
  
Relena was waiting downstairs when he arrived, a fuzzy pink bathrobe   
embracing her slender form. "Heero?" she asked, brow creasing in   
confusion, "You tell D... Helen I'm sorry. Okay? Tell her."  
  
Heero scarcely paid any attention to her, only pausing long enough to   
grab the keys from her hand. At least Duo called, that had to be a   
good sign. He could barely make out half what he had been saying,   
though. Something about light. Gold Leaf Hotel.  
  
He almost didn't recognize Duo siting on the steps of the building,   
curled against the railing asleep - please, let him be asleep and   
not... Heero approached cautiously, eyes scanning the darkness. Duo's   
braid was fraying, the hair tie lost somewhere. The clothes were new.  
  
Duo had mentioned something about a taxi, but the only car on the   
street was the one Heero had grabbed from Relena's collection.   
"Helen?" he asked softly, standing over the huddled form. Heero was   
almost afraid to touch him, for fear he'd shatter like glass.  
  
Duo looked up sleepily, blinking a few times and stumbling to his   
feet. Heero caught one thin arm, feeling the muscles beneath the   
velvet tense in fear. "Duo," he whispered very softly.  
  
"Cab left. Wouldn't wait. Said you'd come, though."  
  
Heero felt his blood run cold, listening to Duo's scattered speech.   
For a moment he feared the worst, a relapse, but then he frowned in   
sudden comprehension, "You're drunk."  
  
"Wouldn't stop buying me drinks," Duo mumbled, hugging his free arm   
to himself and looking down at his shoes. Heero looked down as well,   
glaring heatedly at the flimsy heels. Duo continued even though Heero  
wasn't really listening, "Wanted me to dance. One guy wanted more,   
but I ran. Heero, I ran. I ran. Ran..." Duo's voice faded off to a   
soft mumble as he swayed once and went out like a light.  
  
As Duo fell towards him, Heero caught the weight easily. For a moment,  
he stood there on the steps with Duo's limp form clutched to him,   
taking reassurance from the quiet sound of breathing.   
  
The idiot had simply had too much to drink. Fear dispelled and he   
carefully picked Duo up, carrying him to the car. If Duo was awake,   
he would no doubt make some crack about Heero's driving. But, Duo   
seemed content to curl asleep against the car door.  
  
With the initial fear gone, Heero felt anger at Duo for his stupidity   
and careless endangerment of the mission. Not to mention the risk to   
Duo himself... Not that he didn't doubt Duo could eliminate threats,   
but such elimination had the chance of resulting in authorities. They   
would run a standard background check and find Helen Solo's invented   
past, but then when they collected Duo's finger prints it would show   
a different file. A far more dangerous file.  
  
...Baka.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Head in pain. Burning light. Damn light. Damn consciousness. Who gave   
you permission to wake up, body? Go back to sleep!   
  
Every part of my body protesting, I warily let my eyes open. I squint,  
glaring angrily at the tiny sliver of light shooting out from an   
opening in the curtains. Damn light. At least its quiet. Blessed   
quiet. Not unless I count the painful pounding in my skull.  
  
A random bit of knowledge mocks me. Hangover headaches are caused by   
too much blood pulsing through constricted vessels. Logically, a   
hangover remedy would involve fixing that. I'm a genius.  
  
Stirring slightly, I wince as even such slight movement send waves of   
pain through my head. How much did I drink last night, and how did I   
get back to Relena's? Terror suddenly grips me; is this Relena's?   
  
...Yes, I can see one of Heero's shirts, and the bed space beside me   
is still warm from his body. Ah, Heero. That's how I came to be here.   
Bet he's furious with me. How embarrassing, I hope I didn't throw up   
on him or anything.  
  
I remember drinking and dancing and... Oh, Christ. The memories   
threaten to overwhelm, but I snatch the only really important one and   
focus on it for a few moments, blocking out the panic.  
  
I found Natasha.  
  
"Heero!" I try to call, but it comes out a hoarse whisper. I try   
again, louder. The words bounce painfully off the inside of my skull.  
  
"Heero!" I call again, hauling myself out from the bed, but   
miscalculating the distance and getting tangled up with the sheets. I   
land on my side, eye to eye with a few dust bunnies and a pair of   
shoes. My shoes.  
  
"What? ...Nice to see you're awake," Heero says coldly from the   
doorway, peering past the bed to glare in perfect 'I'm going to kill   
you' fashion.  
  
Heero Yuy, using sarcasm. Stop the presses. "You can be a bastard   
later, Heero. I saw her last night. She's right here Heero, here in   
the Sanc kingdom!"  
  
"Who?" Heero asks warily, walking around to better glare at me.  
  
"Natasha," I reach under the bed and fetch out the shoes. Ick, dust.   
Ick, I'm still wearing the clothes from last night. Unacceptable.   
Change of clothes in...duffel bag, since I haven't unpacked. Duffel   
bag located near Heero.  
  
Heero sighs and crosses his arms, determined not to let up on the   
death glare, "Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes, I saw her." I crawl out and drag the duffel out from it's spot   
by the wall, taking off the dark amethyst shirt. I never want to see   
it again.  
  
"What's this?" Heero asks sharply, kneeling next to me and gently   
taking my arm in one hand. His hand trembles slightly with suppressed   
emotion. Anger? likely. Concern? hardly.   
  
I glance over, "They appear to be bruises, Heero." Maybe if I don't   
panic, he won't either. Ostrich in the sand theory.  
  
Heero's eyes narrow, but he isn't glaring at me anymore. It's   
something worse than the death glare, if that's even possible. I hope   
it isn't directed at me. "Did someone hurt you?"  
  
I skiddishly pull my arm from Heero's grasp. Unaware I'm even doing,   
I rub my lower arms until it hurts. The road map of scars is a   
comfort. The pain is a blessing. "We should go look for Natasha."  
  
Heero grabs my wrists, firmly. "Stop it."  
  
"Stop what, Heero? Let me go." Even though I know Heero, his hands   
over my wrists is startling. I tug against the hold, beginning to   
feel the pull of terror when he doesn't release me. "Let me go!"  
  
It's getting hard to breathe.   
  
"Let me go! Let go, let go, let go, let go, let go, let go..." I   
shout, struggling to get free.   
  
Blind panic takes hold and I twist within the iron grip, a strangled   
sob fighting free as all I can see is my wrists, pinned. "Let go!"  
  
Heero pulls me close, one hand loosening its grip and the other   
stroking the tangled snarl of my hair. Reassuringly. I press my face   
into his shoulder, inhaling the pleasant aroma that is distinctly   
Heero. Slowly, he releases the remaining hand, but it is me who   
refuses to let go, now.  
  
My little outburst must have confirmed his suspicions. He won't   
let   
me out of his sight, now. I don't really mind, though.  
  
"Sorry," he mutters, the word nearly lost in the quiet.  
  
"Yeah," I reply, accepting his apology and offering my own with the   
one word. There isn't any need to say more.   
  
After a while, I pull away. Heero reluctantly lets me put space   
between us and doesn't say anything when I intently study the zipper   
on my duffel bag. Focusing my eyes anywhere but forward, I nod   
slightly to his silent questions. "We can go home sooner, since we   
don't have to hunt her down."  
  
"Duo, are you sure you saw Natasha?"  
  
"Yes," I fiddle with the zipper, to keep from rubbing the scars.  
  
"You were intoxicated."  
  
"Just because I was drunk off my ass doesn't mean I was seeing   
things," I say quietly, more to reassure myself than to argue with   
Heero. If I was seeing things, there's nothing more I'd like to do   
than blame it on the alcohol.  
  
Heero doesn't say anything, but that's because he doesn't have to. We   
both know the implications. He gets up off the floor and leaves the   
room, face the picture of blankness, but I catch his gaze for a moment  
and see his eyes are troubled.  
  
I wonder if mine are troubled, but there's no way I'm looking in the   
mirror to find out.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Author's Notes: I was hoping to get further into the story before   
school started again, but I guess what I have is fine. Please feed   
the muses with lots of pretty comments! ^_^ I'm sorry you have to   
wait so long for the next chapter, but school is school and there are   
laws against me being a complete hermit...  
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2002 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.  
LSE - "Violet" (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)  
Email me to join my Update ML!   
http://violetnyte.fallenweb.net 


	6. Prostitutional Bartering

LSE // 12-3-02  
(The Black Queen - Chapter Six: Prostitutional Bartering)  
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content  
shounen-ai/yaoi  
  
Prostitutional Bartering  
  
  
  
  
"Oh. Helen," Relena calls ostentatiously, looking meaningfully towards  
her trailing assistants. She has to attend some big diplomatic   
meeting, I remember her telling us at dinner. "Where are you off to?"  
  
"Heero and I are going into town for a bit," I say airily, as if I   
only possess three functioning brain cells. I've discovered people,   
especially jealous females, find it appealing.  
  
"Oh, okay," Relena pauses, looking again to her assistants and then   
back to me. "I won't be returning until tomorrow, late. Something's   
come up in the colonies."   
  
She leans towards me, whispering in a conspirator's voice, "Street   
gangs declared mass war on authority. Four car bombings this morning   
alone." Louder now, for the benefit of the assistants, "I'm off,   
then. Take care!"  
  
Car bombings? Street gangs? War. Violence. Death.  
  
"Was that Relena leaving?"  
  
With effort, I pull away from the bleak images assaulting my mind and   
nod to Heero. "Won't be back until late tomorrow night...ish. Are you   
ready to go?"  
  
"You're sure about this?"  
  
Kablam. "Heero!" I snap, fixing a stern glare at him. The glare is   
the best I can do knowing he means well, but his concern blankets me.  
It scares me, to see this cold machine warped so much by my weakness.   
"Just... trust me, okay?"  
  
He says nothing in perfect Heero-like perfection. Thank you, Mister   
Perfect fucking Soldier for your confidence, grumble grumble.  
  
"If I'm wrong, and Natasha isn't here, what's the harm? Humor me,   
Heero," I say quietly, going out the door. I don't look back.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Watching carefully at the passing buildings, I look for anything   
familiar. "There, that's the bar," I announce suddenly, nodding   
slightly to the grim building. I'm feeling unsure of my decision to   
come back here. But I have to. For Natasha.  
  
Heero slows down as we coast along the street. He's driving. The   
broken buildings all look the same, so I ignore them. I picture   
Natasha in my mind. The image that comes instantly is Natasha as I   
last saw her, at the asylum. Psychiatric hospital. Loony bin.  
  
A girl in snug jeans, gloves and a turtleneck. All black. And socks.   
She had black socks. (Black socks, they never get dirty, the longer   
you wear them the blacker they get. Blaaaack socks...)  
  
"There."  
  
"Hn."  
  
"This is where I saw her."  
  
The car pulls to a stop as Heero looks at the empty street corner.   
The building is old and faded with a pink sign over the door. Broken   
neon proclaims, "M ss Ki t y's." Lovely establishment. What the hell   
is Natasha doing here?  
  
"Shall we?" I ask Heero with forced cheerfulness, stepping out from   
the car and looking balefully at the...brothel? I love that word.  
  
"You can't just walk in there and ask for her. Did you learn nothing   
in the war?"  
  
I learned lots in the war. But I don't say that to Heero. "What would   
you have us do? This isn't exactly an Oz hideout."  
  
Heero stiffens, casting a watchful eye over the street. Checking for   
danger. "Stay here."  
  
"What are you doing? You don't have a gun, do you? Heero. Heero!" I   
reach out and snag him arm. "What are you going to do?"  
  
"Ask to see Natasha."  
  
"You just said we couldn't do that!"  
  
Heero looks amused. "Correction. I said you couldn't. I can."  
  
"Heero, do you even know what kind of place this is?" I sigh in   
exasperation, switching tactics.  
  
"Yes, I do."  
  
I blink in surprise, looking from Heero to the whore's place and back   
to Heero. Studying my face, Heero continues, "It is a place where men   
pay women for sexual activities. If you ask for a woman, there will   
be questions. If I ask, there will be no objections."  
  
"You're a complete bastard, Heero Yuy."   
  
I whispered it to myself, so he didn't hear. Walking up the door, he   
does a surprisingly good job of looking casual. As casual as Heero   
can look. As the door begins to open, the blank look from his stoic   
face fades away and is replaced by one rich with emotions. He someone   
manages to simultaneously look bored, horny and rich.   
  
Realizing my standing in front of the car hurts the 'image,' I sneak   
back into the car once more and peer out through the dark, dark tint.  
  
The door only opens the tiniest bit and Heero leans forwards, saying   
something to the elderly woman within. She grins, pulling the door   
open wise and motioning for Heero to come in. He shrugs, gesturing   
first to the car and then to the street. The woman nods knowingly and   
disappears into the building.  
  
Presently, she returns with a younger girl in tow. Natasha! Wait. No.   
The girl is young, and she has short black hair, but she is not   
Natasha. I can see from where she reaches on Heero that she's the   
wrong height, shorter. She smiles to Heero and he in turn slips some   
money to the elderly woman.   
  
Doesn't Heero realize it isn't Natasha?  
  
Heero opens the door for her and she gets in, looking sideways to me   
and coyly tilting her head. "Is that how it is, mister?" she asks,   
addressing Heero as he gets into the driver's seat. "You didn't say   
nothin' 'bout there bein' to of us, mister. You know that's gonna   
cost extra if ya want it that way."  
  
"What's your name?" I ask softly, turning around in the passenger   
seat to look more clearly at her. She resembles Natasha, but isn't   
her. Nope. No way, I know. Her eyes are blue, but they are cloudy   
unlike Natasha's clear crystal.  
  
Heero's looking at me funny. He doesn't know.  
  
The girl smiles, twisting a bit of her hair around a finger. The   
hair's dyed black, not natural. "Amethyst, but you can call me Amy."  
  
Heero stops the car, turning around to stare at the girl, then me.   
  
"She's not her," I supply, smiling slightly.  
  
"Oh," the girl says, heavily shadowed lids lifting back as her eyes   
widen in an innocent look, "You're looking for Natalie."  
  
Thump-thump. Skip. Thump-thump. "Natalie?"  
  
She nods, "Came to me this morning and said I looked a bunch like her,  
and that there're some bad folks after her and you'll not hear from   
me where she run off to or nothin'. I gave my word to her I'd not   
tell anyone 'bout wear she's gone. So, we dyed and cut my hair to   
match up with hers and borrowed some of Misty's contacts to make my   
eyes all blue. Natalie's gone left and you'll not hear from me where!   
So there!" she sits back in the seat and looks smug.   
  
She's so... young.  
  
"Did she see you?" Heero asks, fixing his intense glare on me.  
  
Why would Natasha run from me? I don't answer, instead addressing the   
girl-whore, "We're Nata" (pause) "lie's friends, not the bad people.   
Did she say who was after her?"  
  
"Nuh-uh, I'm not sayin' nothin'. Nata's my friend. You gonna torture   
me?" she asks, looking nervously excited at the prospect, even though   
she hasn't the cruel imagination to know what torture is. Her eyes,   
framed by thick mascara-coated lashes and dusky lids, look into mine.  
  
"No, we're not going to torture you," I say, trying to make it sound   
as sincere as it is.  
  
"Oh. Are you gonna get what you paid for?" Amy asks, tracing the   
curve of Heero's eye with one long, lacquered nail. I shift, not   
liking that at all. With a shock, I realize the girl must think me   
either Heero's whore or girl friend. Damn this disguise. I keep   
forgetting who I am.  
  
"Yes," Heero mutters.  
  
"Heero!" I shriek, unable to believe I just heard him accept the   
whore's suggestion. The whore in question giggles. I study her,   
thinking rapidly as Heero looks flustered, suddenly aware of what he   
just agreed to.  
  
Amy might know where Natasha is, if this Natalie she knows is  
Natasha. It has to be, I just know it. Natasha might be in danger.   
She wouldn't run from me. "Amy, we really are Natalie's friends."  
  
"Nuh-uh."  
  
"Would you recognize her handwriting?" I ask, reaching into the front   
of my sweater and pulling free the double gold chains, one supporting   
my cross, and the other a chess piece. A black chess piece. The queen.  
Uncapping the specially made bottom, I reverently pull free a small   
roll of papers.  
  
I remember the day clearly, despite the situation. Waking up to find   
Natasha gone, her drawers cleared out. All except a chess piece, with   
a paper underneath. "For you to remember me by," unsigned, but   
unmistakably hers from the rose rubbing, created from her compact.   
  
I thought her dead, gone... I received a letter. Post marked from   
Earth. Sent by Natasha. She promised to write, and she kept that   
promise. She always kept her promises.  
  
The girl, Amy, looks at the note warily. "Yeah, that's Natalie's   
handwriting."   
  
Thump-thump. Skip. Thump-thump.  
  
She looks from me to Heero cautiously, "You're really her friends?   
Honestly?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
She chews her lower lip. "All right. I'll tell you where ya can find   
her. If," she interjects, grinning, "you help me out."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Get me out."  
  
"Out?" I glance to Heero, or more precisely, the back of Heero's head   
as he starts driving again.  
  
"Out of the loop. Away from Madame Kitty's. Get me out of the Sanc   
Kingdom. They got those government houses and stuff for people like   
me, but that only works if you don't value your head or neck. No   
one's gonna give a whore like me a chance doing nothing. I gotta get   
outta here before I can have a life. Soon as we're 'cross the border   
I'll tell you where to find Natalie."  
  
Before I can say anything, Heero speaks up. "Take us to Natalie and   
then we'll let you go."  
  
"That's kidnapping!"  
  
Heero shrugs. Amy slumps down in her seat, crossing her arms and   
glaring out from her thick lashes. "Fine. But you gotta get me outta   
here and pay me good for my troubles. Fifty a day for helping ya get   
Nata, plus my standard rate for anything extra you might have in   
mind," her eyes dart from Heero to me, waiting for our response.  
  
It's a good deal for her, but not so good of a deal if she's lying.  
She recognized Natasha's handwriting, but... She could be tricking us.  
For some reason, I trust her.  
  
Because Natasha might be in danger.  
  
"Acceptable," Heero says, closing the deal.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Author's Notes: I'm about to the end of my pre-written story! When I   
started typing, this was as far as it went, but I have chapter seven   
all written. So, I'll just type it and hopefully you'll have another   
chapter before the weekend starts.  
There's ice everywhere. I hope they cancel school!  
*edit* That was written Tuesday night. Promptly afterwards power went  
out. Just about 24 hours later, I have power once more.  
  
Oh, before anyone points it out, I'm aware the brothel's name is Miss  
Kitty's and Amy refers to the mistress as Madame Kitty, not Miss, but  
that's just a conflict of titles, not an error.  
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2002 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.  
LSE - "Violet" (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)  
Email me to join my Update ML!   
http://violetnyte.fallenweb.net 


	7. Fragmentation

LSE // 12-9-02  
(The Black Queen - Chapter Seven: Fragmentation)  
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content  
shounen-ai/yaoi  
  
Fragmentation  
  
  
  
  
Even before I enter the room I know something is wrong. Someone is in   
my room. It can't be Heero, because I just left him in the other room,  
and I know Heero's presence anyway. If it was Heero, then it wouldn't   
be wrong. Slowly, I creep past the door and peer into the room.   
  
There. Back to the door is Amy, decently clad in jeans and a fuzzy   
pink sweater that could only be Relena's.  
  
"What are you doing?" I ask, bursting in importantly.  
  
Amy whirls, trying unsuccessfully to hide what is in her hands. I   
freeze, seeing the familiar orange and white bottle disappear behind   
her back. "Those are mine," I say, eyes glued to the empty space on   
the dresser. "You shouldn't look through my things."  
  
As soon as the words clear my lips I know it's a mistake. The girl   
frowns, taking me in slowly as she pulls the pill bottle out from   
behind her. She holds it up, label facing me. Even though I can't see   
the text, I know what it says. Take twice daily on empty stomach. Do   
not mix with food or alcohol.  
  
"These are yours?" she asks innocently, "But it says here they're for   
a Mister Duo Maxwell."  
  
I lick my suddenly dry lips, but my tongue's gone fuzzy. Too fuzzy,   
like the sweater. Pink sweater. Think, think, think. "Are they? Then   
they must not be mine. The pharmacist must have given me someone   
else's prescription. Good thing I didn't take any!" I force a laugh.  
  
"Nice try, but this bottle's nearly half empty."  
  
I shrug, "Pharmacist must be crazy, wrong prescription and not enough!  
Anyway, put them back where you found them. Unless you're a druggie."  
  
Amy's eyes narrow. They're brown now that she's taken out the color   
contacts. A soft brown. Without her thick mascara, her eyes are round   
and large: innocent youth. "I'm not, but you might be. But, this is   
Elavil. People usually don't try for a buzz off an anti-depressant,   
so you must not be a druggie."  
  
"Why were you snooping through my things?"  
  
She ignores me. "Natalie told me about this guy, said he was a real   
friend to her," Amy crosses the room until we're face-to-face. I'm   
barefoot, and she's got on shoes with a heel, so we're just about   
even. She can look me in the eye.  
  
"He had violet eyes, she said, and the prettiest hair. Long, chestnut.  
She said he always wore it in a braid."  
  
"What are you talking about?" I manage to whisper. I can't feel my   
skin anymore, everything's just numb. Natasha talked about me? I'm   
pleased, et horrified, because Amy is looking at me. Looking. To my   
core.  
  
"Most unusual, she said, but a good friend. Do you know what his name   
was, Helen Solo?" she said the name scornfully.  
  
It's game over, and I'm out of quarters. "What?" I mouth, the words   
too silenced to even be considered spoken.  
  
"Duo Maxwell."  
  
For a moment, we just stare at each other. Slowly, it dawns on me that  
if Natasha spoke of me, then it means Amy will have to trust me all   
the more. She knows I'm a friend. "Oh," I manage, "Caught me. Well,   
don't tell anyone," I say, reaching out with lightning speed to   
reclaim the pills. "I'm in hiding, so kindly don't ruin it."  
  
To my surprise, Amy nods understandingly. "Natalie was in hiding, too.  
She told me lots of things. Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Are you hiding from the same people Nata was?"  
  
The fine hairs along the back of my neck slowly stand on end. "I...   
don't think so. I don't know, who was Natalie hiding from?"   
  
Amy pales, "I can't tell you. Bad people, though."  
  
Please? I might be able to help her better if I know."  
  
"Well..." she sighs, "all right. Have you ever heard of the Double   
Phoenix?" When I shake my head, she goes on, "They were a small   
fanatic group that formed shortly before the start of the war, but   
they never made much trouble because they attacked Oz right off. Oz   
pretty much annihilated them right from the start."  
  
"So, this Double Phoenix...?"  
  
"The leader escaped."  
  
I frown, confused, "And now he's found some followers again? Why go   
after Natasha? I mean, Natalie."  
  
Her brown eyes size me up, as if judging me worthy of the secret.   
"Don't you see? Nata is..."  
  
Chaos.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Type, type, click. Send.  
  
Heero leaned back from his laptop with a yawn, stretching nimble   
fingers until the joints popped. Using double encryption, several   
different codes and only the most secure L4 channels, he'd sent a   
brief summary to Quatre along with a few instructions. Of course,   
there was always the chance the message would be interrupted, which   
was why he avoided using specifics, especially regarding Duo.  
  
He hoped Quatre dutifully deciphered the message. He had completely   
forgotten to remind Quatre to feed the fish while they were gone.  
  
Heero frowned suddenly, looking to the door. How long ago had Duo   
left to take his medication? Maybe it only seemed longer because he   
had been typing. Most likely, the baka had gotten himself lost en   
route. Why Relena felt it necessary to maintain such an elaborate   
residence, he would never understand.  
  
Beep! went the laptop, a small notification box popping up. It was a   
reply from L4, Quatre, which mildly surprised Heero because his   
calculations made it improbable for the other man to have decoded his   
message that rapidly.  
  
Opening it and quickly working out the encryption, fingers flying   
over the keys, Heero realized it was not a reply. They both must have   
sent reports out at the same time.  
  
"Hopefully this reaches you at your destination," the message   
heralded. Good, caution was being applied. "There has been some talk   
of violence up here, but the flames are loosely organized at best. I   
heard that Peacecraft was meeting to discuss what measures should be   
taken, if any. I am concerned, however, at what implications this   
could have on your security. Guard well."  
  
Heero sat back for a moment, studying the text. It came from the   
secure L4 channels, but it wasn't in Quatre's style. Trowa, then?   
Possibly, it fit the spartan style favored by the rational ex-pilot.   
Quatre would be more...bubbly.   
  
Ah, of course it was Trowa's. Heero had over-looked the obvious signs,  
such as the encryption codes use of threes, a call back to Heavyarm's   
pilot number. Heero had seen Trowa use the same subtle identification   
a few times before, during the war.  
  
Heero realized he was staring at the door and jerked free of his   
mental wanderings. Duo should have been back by now. Calm down, he   
chided himself, just because he isn't here does not mean anything.   
There might have been an interesting clip on the vid-set. Duo might   
have wandered into the gardens, the kitchens, a closet.   
  
Still, Heero stared at the door, as if that would make the braided   
baka appear.  
  
Rising from his chair, Heero cleared his laptop's screen with a single  
keystroke and let the computer shut down on its own. Before he could   
take a step towards the door, a crisp, loud sound jolted through the   
air to freeze him solid.  
  
Once, twice, rapid succession, then a pause and a third.  
  
Gun shots.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Amy's big brown eyes are already clouding over in death, her features   
frozen in a look of bewildered astonishment. At least, as much of her   
face that isn't covered in blood, gore and fragments of her skull.  
  
I stare down at her in shock, unable to figure out why she's dead.   
Slowly, I turn my head to find the barrel of a gun aimed down at her   
body. A third shot rings out, shattering my stunned mind like the   
bullet shatters through her skull, obliterating the remaining   
identifiable bits of her head.  
  
Instinct make me crouch down and lash out at the same time, sweeping   
one leg out to catch the murderer across the shin. My eyes are locked   
on the gun as it falls to the floor. I reach out, neatly grabbing it   
from the air. Instantly, I flip the weapon around so it's aimed to   
the previous owner, who lays there on the floor.  
  
It's one of the maids. "Get up," I order, voice cold. Mission   
parameters: set. Objective: undefined; escape from hostile territory.  
  
I feel nothing, and it is glorious. The gun is rock steady in my hand.  
  
The maid doesn't move. She's dead, eyes glassy.  
  
"DUO!"  
  
I turn, snapping the gun's aim from the dead maid to the door. "Don't   
move," I growl from reflex. It's all reflex now. Mission accepted.  
  
The person obediently halts.  
  
"What do you want?" I demand, gun aimed for the main's chest. One   
false move and I am SO firing this sucker.  
  
"Duo! Put the gun down."  
  
"Why? Why should I listen to you? What leverage have you for   
negotiations? Come in here, hands where I can see them. Shut the   
door."  
  
Obedience. Civilian? Possibility. Elimination? Acceptable.  
  
The man's eyes shift from me to the dead girl at my feet, and then to   
the maid. The girl's head has been shot. Did I do that? No, no   
hesitation. If I did, it was for the mission.   
  
I'm the only one with a gun, so it must have been me. The maid is   
dead, too. I do not wonder why, because the answer is obvious. I just   
don't know it yet, that's all.  
  
For a moment, I'm not sure what to do. The shots will draw others. In   
fact. I'm surprised only one interloper has appeared. Maybe no one is   
home. Is this part of the mission? Escape, my mission is to escape.   
It's giving me a headache, trying to think. I won't think just act.   
Action.  
  
"Duo..."  
  
"Yes, yes, there are two!" I narrow my eyes at the man, "What's your   
problem, why do you keep saying that? Is it a code word? Are you   
trying to summon assistance? Keep quiet!"  
  
His eyes widen. The eyes are blue. "Who are you?" he asks, studying   
me as if I am some puzzling creature.  
  
He is most obviously crazy, or in on this whole thing. "Who I am is   
not important. The important thing is..." I don't know, I realize.   
I don't know what I'm really doing anymore. Failure is not an option.   
I lift the gun slightly, shifting my aim to the main's head.  
  
I will simply have to shoot him.  
  
Pain.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Author's Notes: Wah, I'm sorry I didn't get a chapter out over the   
weekend! Instead, I pre-wrote even MORE papers! ^_^() I don't think   
I'll even be able to compose this story straight into my precious GUN   
(Grown-Up Notepad) Not that it'll be a problem... hehe! Winter break   
is growing closer, but that also means end of semester testing. At my   
school, classes are only 18 weeks long, but some are 9 week courses   
(like Genetics...) which means I'll have a completely new schedule for  
the spring. I can't wait!   
Well that was random, sorry. Winter also means spiffy weather and my   
brother's removal from my house, which is just uber-spiffiness for   
all parties involved. One last surprise for the Holiday season...  
  
IMPORTANT!! I'm going to take a TINY break from "The Black Queen" to   
write a special Christmas 'fic or two. TINY break, you probably won't   
even notice. I'll continue to write in the 'fic, it's just my next   
post might not be a new chapter. Just to warn you. I'm trying as hard   
as I can to keep up a steady chapter-flow with school and everything.  
  
--Violet no Baka Mode!--  
I don't mean to sound ingrateful, but I was greatly sad that I didn't   
get any reviews on FFN for chapter six. I understand that a lot of   
you, like me, are busy, but I just... well, I wasn't sure if anyone   
had even read/enjoyed the chapter! ^_^() I'm sorry if I sound whinny   
or inappreciative, and I'd just like to send an extra glomp to   
everyone who has reviewed so far and beg all the rest of you to at   
least drop a line or something, just so I know someone out there's   
reading these. I'm really, really sorry for sounding so pathetic!!  
  
Also sorry for how long I rambled on! ^_^() Whoops.  
  
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2002 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.  
LSE - "Violet" (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)  
Email me to join my Update ML!   
http://violetnyte.fallenweb.net 


	8. Perfectly Crazy

LSE // 12-11-02  
(The Black Queen - Chapter Eight: Perfectly Crazy)  
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content  
shounen-ai/yaoi  
  
Perfectly Crazy  
  
  
  
  
Pain.  
  
Why pain? I remove one hand from the gun and gently press against the   
source of the pain. To my great surprise, there's a sticky wetness on   
my side. I glance down to find myself looking at a bullet wound.   
Strange, I don't remember getting shot.  
  
I blink, feeling the slight ringing in my ears from gun reports. The   
shot was just fired, then. I lift my eyes to find the blue-eyed man   
staring at me in shock. His mouth is moving. He's yelling.   
  
The gun is very heavy in my hand, so I let it fall. I watch,   
transfixed, as the sleek metal weapon lands on the rug. There's blood   
everywhere.  
  
I turn my head slightly, seeing the door is open. A fierce looking   
man is standing there holding a gun. Oh, so he shot me.  
  
I fall forward, suddenly no longer able to stay upright. I kneel   
there, staring at the pool of blood. My blood? I'm so tired. I start   
to fall the rest of the way when hands gently stop my fall, lowering   
me to the ground. I stare up into the blue eyes.  
  
"Duo..." he whispers, and I realize.  
  
I am Duo.  
  
The blue eyes are the last thing I see as the darkness sweeps forward   
and sucks me down into the floating realm of unconsciousness. When   
it's too late to matter, I am able to place a name to the eyes.  
  
Heero.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Heero, I am sorry, but perhaps this is best for everyone."  
  
"You don't understand! When Duo wakes up he can tell you, he didn't   
kill Amy or the maid. Relena, you have to trust..."  
  
"He's been awake before, Heero. He didn't even know his own name he   
was that far gone. Maybe that whore, Amy-whatever, said or did   
something to provoke him and he just snapped. He was clinging to the   
last thread of sanity anyways. He held a doctor at knife point to   
escape from that hospital. At knife-point!"  
  
"He was awake and no one told me?"  
  
"He was perfectly crazy. The doctors gave him sedatives and pain   
killers. Heero... Duo was the only one in the room. His finger prints   
are all over that gun, and forensics can prove that it was the same   
gun that killed both that girl and my maid."   
  
"Duo is not like that, he..."  
  
"He was going to kill you before Captain Aherns shot him first. You'll  
be lucky is they don't try to make a capital murder charge, and with   
his record, it will definitely stick. I really am sorry."  
  
"Relena, I know it seems bad, but last time I thought the same thing,   
and I was wrong."  
  
"To think I would ever heard you admit to being wrong... It doesn't   
change my mind. He's a danger and you'll be lucky if the worst that   
happens is he gets sent back to the hospital."  
  
"You don't..."  
  
"But I do, Heero. I do understand. I understand the facts, and the   
facts are Duo's simply unstable at best. Completely insane is a   
middle ground, but I don't see psychotically blood thirsty as   
unreasonable..."  
  
"Relena..."  
  
"I'm sorry, Heero."  
  
The words swirl through my head, crumbling the carefully constructed   
made by drugs. Yummy, drugs. From the feel of the sheets around me,   
it's a hospital bed.  
  
Oh, my god.  
  
Amy is dead.  
  
The maid is dead  
  
They think I did it?  
  
Holy shit, did I?  
  
"Heero..."  
  
The voices stop, the only sounds are those of the machines. I   
reluctantly force my eyes to open, focusing on the pink jacket   
Relena's wearing. She has wedged herself between Heero and the bed,   
trying to keep him out.  
  
"Heero," I say, a little louder. Demanding.  
  
He brushes Relena aside, stepping up to the bed and looking down with   
mingled emotions. I'm too tired to decipher them all. "Duo?" he asks.   
Asks!  
  
I force a smile, "Who else?"  
  
Relief, I can see that. Something else. Fear?  
  
Relena's furious, that's an easy one. She's looming behind Heero. The   
Intensive Care Unit is dim, the only light that of the sad machines   
and the weak fluorescent streaming in from the nurse's station. The   
wall facing the hall and station is made of glass panels with the   
curtains opens.  
  
"I'll call my lawyer for you. Don't object; you'll need her if you   
want to avoid the death penalty. I suppose you could plead insanity,"   
she says coldly, nodding once to Heero before stalking out.  
  
"Think she's angry," I mumble, still trying to reconcile my brain to   
the idea of consciousness and the cognitive processes accompany the   
said awareness. It doesn't like it. Wants more yummy Valium. Whee...  
  
Heero looks down at me. I turn my head away as best I can, starting   
to lift one hand to brush my bangs aside. My limbs refuse to operate   
like the good little cooperative appendages they should be.   
  
Oh, lord, I'm tied to the bed, my wrists and ankles bound with thick   
leather straps. I'm tied to the bed. Tied - To - The- Bed.  
  
"Shh," Heero murmurs suddenly, a cool hand laying on my forehead,   
lifting back the bangs. I realize I'm whimpering and stop, relaxing   
against the bindings. Heero strokes the side of my face slightly,   
startling me with his kindness.  
  
"There was nothing I could do," Heero says apologetically. "The   
hospital pulled your record, the finger prints got them the files...   
It's over."  
  
"I know," I whisper, staring at a spot somewhere above Heero's head.   
"Won't have to wear dresses anymore," I try to laugh, or even just   
smile, but I can't.  
  
It feels good, Heero's hand on my forehead. "Do you know what   
happened?" he asks quietly.  
  
Do I?  
  
It's all so eerie in familiarity, but at the same time so very, very   
different. I remember lying in another hospital bed, my arms just as   
useless and the same gnawing shame; guilt, but this is different.   
Heero isn't angry with me this time. I'm actually innocent, for the   
most part, and I get the Heero believes in me, or just too scared of   
the other Possibilities.  
  
Woah, capital letter. Seriously.  
  
"She's dead. Both."  
  
Silence for a few moments. I'm thinking backwards, trying to piece it  
all together. "Amy and I were talking. She'd taken my pills. Oh, I   
never took them. Heero, Heero, I forgot to take my pills. I'm sorry."  
  
Heero's voice is low, soft, shaking, "It's okay."  
  
"I told her to give them back. My pills, back. Told her, 'cause I had   
forgotten they were Duo's, not Helen's. Told her I was Duo, because   
she knew me. From Nata. Sha. Asked her who was after Nata sha."  
  
I stop talking, because I can't remember what comes next.  
  
"Where did you get the gun?"  
  
"I don't know. Heero, did I kill her? Them?" I stop staring at nothing  
and focus in on Heero.  
  
"You don't know?" slight surprise.  
  
I shake me head, sadly. "I don't think I did, but I can't remember.   
It goes blank after that. Why would I kill Amy, anyway? She was going   
to help us."  
  
Heero smoothes the hair off my forehead, not saying anything.  
  
Tears prick behind my eyes, "Are they going to send me back to that   
institution?"  
  
Heero's eyes look at my sadly. They are blue. Blue? Why is that   
important; I've always known Heero's eyes to be blue.   
  
"Possibly," he says. Capital letter.  
  
Grey. Grey walls, grey clothes, grey nurses, grey food. Solitary.  
  
Heero's talking, telling me the bits I can't remember. Apparently he   
burst in on me with the gun and the two dead women on the floor.   
"You... you were pretty out of it. One of Relena's soldiers, guards,   
shot you before I could do anything."  
  
"Not your fault," I whisper. Heero nods, slightly.   
  
I got shot. "How bad is...?"  
  
"Not bad at all. You'll be fine, no damage. You're okay," Heero   
answers quickly.  
  
"How long? Have I been out?"  
  
"Four days."  
  
"Visiting hours are over," a nurse announces as she stroll sin,   
bustling importantly. She looks at me warily, but I don't really   
blame her. I am a psycho and accused murderer/kidnapper tied down to   
the bed with nice, thick leather bands.  
  
Whee.  
  
Heero's hand leaves my forehead, which I do not like. "Can't... can't   
he stay?" I ask, looking imploringly to the nurse.  
  
"Rules and regulations," she replied. Her name is Bernice and has a   
very Official Hospital Requirements enforcement look to her. She all   
but chases Heero from the room before returning and moving swiftly   
through her required route.  
  
I don't really pay attention until she leans over with a needle and   
jabs it into the crook of my elbow, on the opposite area as the IV.   
  
"What's that?" I ask, trying to sound as un-crazy as Possible.  
  
"Thorazine. To help you sleep. Now, go to sleep."  
  
What the... Thorazine? That's serious stuff, I wonder...  
  
Oh, wow.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Duo Maxwell."  
  
Oh, but this nothing is addicting.  
  
"Duo."  
  
Never want to wake up, no worries, no problems. Yeah, Thorazine. It's   
a drug, it's a shot, it's...super Thorazine!  
  
"Duo Maxwell."  
  
I open my eyes and plan to ask the person to kindly go away. Unless   
it is a nurse, then I'll ask for more Thorazine. "Please go awake," I   
mutter, seeing the absence of starch white nurse clothes.  
  
"No. Open your eyes. Look at me."  
  
Slowly, my eyes open fully and adjust to the dim light. The face   
glows eerily from the machine's illumination. (Hallucination) I stare   
for a few minutes, unable to comprehend. This can't be real. No way   
can this be real. It has got to be the Thorazine, I know it. Yep,   
Thorazine. Good shit, Thorazine.  
  
"...Huh?" I whisper. Very article, Duo. Excellent job, now drool a   
little and your dementia is complete!  
  
She blinks, slowly, "Try to fight the drugs, Duo."  
  
"But, you are dead. So very, very dead"  
  
She smiles, "No, I am quite alive."  
  
"I saw you die," my voice is loud compared to her faint whisper. "You   
are dead," I repeat, the hard edge of hysteria creeping in. "Dead,   
dead, dead, dead--"  
  
A pillow smashes my face suddenly, muffling and destroying my frantic   
chant. If I say it enough times, it'll be true and she won't haunt me   
anymore. She lowers her face close to mine, leaning over the bed,   
"Quiet! You must not alert the nurse to my presence."  
  
Cautiously, she moves the pillow.  
  
I whisper, "Amy, you're dead. But, if you are not, please go get the   
nurse and explain to her that you are alive, and I didn't kill you.   
Okay? Okay, Amy?"  
  
She stares at me with that look I've grown use to seeing on Heero's   
face. That shocked and stunned look that means I've said something   
completely irrational and psychotic. It's that look that tells me   
sanity left a long time ago and didn't leave a card.  
  
Thorazine. It's the Thorazine. I'm hallucinating. I'm dreaming.  
  
"I'm not Amy," she says carefully, that look in her eye.  
  
I stare at her, still unable to piece it together. My brain, fogged by  
the lovely pain killers and my beloved Thorazine, refuses to function.  
  
Clear, blue eyes shine in the gloom. They're tilted at the ends, very   
cat-like. Jaw-length black hair frames a pale face, shadows cast oddly  
over her features by the lighting.   
  
It can't be.  
  
"Natasha?"  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Author's Notes: Thank you, thank you so much for reviews!! *glomp*   
The muses are content with the sacrifice and have once again blessed   
me with their torture... I mean, inspiration. *hides from   
spork-wielding muses*   
I swear to you by the might of the Vanilla Coke I will have a   
Christmas 'fic ready BEFORE Christmas! My goal is the twenty-first   
because that's the first day of my Winter break &_&  
Good thing is a have 2000+ words of a story already, I just need to  
keep writing. So, looks like I'll have a Christmas gift for everyone.  
^_^ yayness and happy sleeping kitties.  
Got tired of the old closing info. format so I changed it. Yay.  
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2002 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.  
Email me to join my Update ML!   
LSE - Violet Nyte (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)  
shameless plug - visit my website for cool "shtuff"  
http://violetnyte.fallenweb.net 


	9. Unlikely Success

LSE // 12-22-02  
(The Black Queen - Chapter Nine: Unlikely Success)  
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content  
shounen-ai/yaoi  
  
Unlikely Success  
  
  
  
  
Natasha.  
  
Thorazine, it's got to be that. I should call the nurse in and ask  
what's going on, and then demand more Thorazine.  
  
"Duo? Duo, please stay awake."  
  
When did my eyes close? I force them to open.   
  
"What are you doing here?"   
  
She doesn't answer. "You shouldn't have come after me."  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Go back into space. You can escape from here easily."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
She smiles, "Go to sleep, Duo. I'll watch over you."  
  
Oh Thorazine, Oh Thorazine, how wonderful you truly are. Just one   
dose lasts all night, I'll never wake, 'til dawn's light...  
  
I'm not sleeping. I'm not awake, either. I float, mercifully and   
blissfully disconnected from everything. Nothing touches the center   
where I am, it all simply drifts along the outside. Floats right on   
by. It is very nice. I like this.  
  
Reluctantly, I pull away and move back through the layers until I   
achieve partial awareness. I need to tell Natasha something. Opening   
my eyes, I find a comforting hand gripping my own. The silent   
observer, seeing me wake, stirs.  
  
"Nata..." I start to say, the words dying on my lips as I turn my   
head enough to see it's Heero beside me.  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
"Perfectly awful. Where's Natasha?"  
  
The reaction is not at all what I expected. Heero jumps from the   
chair, releasing my hand as he stares down at me with that Look. Of   
shock, confusion, pain and a whole load of nasties I don't like   
seeing in those cobalt depths.  
  
"What?" I ask, trying to stay calm. He must not have heard me   
correctly. "Where is Natasha? Didn't you see her when you came in?"  
  
"Duo..." Heero sounds pained.  
  
"But..." I look at him, then look anywhere but at his face because of   
the anguish in his eyes. I hate myself for causing him so much pain.   
What is it like for him, not knowing if I'm... all here. Crazy, crazy   
Duo. Blew some heads off, so they boxed 'm on up and shipped him off   
to St. Ives's.  
  
"I saw her," I insist, pleading with Heero. I don't want to be crazy.  
  
"Duo, there's a nurse right outside in the station. Your door locks   
automatically and can only be opened by authorized personnel. The ICU   
is in the center of the middle floor of this hospital. It would be  
difficult for even me to access your room unauthorized."  
  
"I'm not crazy," I whisper, more to myself than Heero.  
  
He searches for a safe reply, "You are on a lot of medication.  
  
I nod. "Thorazine."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Around three in the afternoon the doctors comes in and shuffles   
around importantly without really doing anything. After checking the  
machines he gruffly asks, "Any pain?"  
  
To which I reply, "Whatever you've got me on is really spiffy. Do I   
get more of that Thorazine stuff tonight?"  
  
The doctor merely leaves, as if my question is not important. As he   
leaves, Heero, Relena and two other people enter, escorted by a  
nurse. "No unnecessary excitement," the nurse mutters as she leaves.   
Hospital personnel are grouchy individuals when you're a psychotic   
murderer.  
  
"Good afternoon," Relena says primly, "have you seen the news?"  
  
I look to the television set they've wheeled into my room, but the   
doctor turned it off when he first came. "No, mostly old re-runs."  
  
She crosses the room and turns the set on, quickly flipping to a   
twenty-four hour news station. The ticker along the bottom reads   
"Murder in Sanc" as a thin new caster rambles on. Relena passively   
turns up the volume, folding her arms across her sweater as she looks   
nervously at the screen.  
  
"Although reports vary and government administrator's have yet to   
issue any statements, law enforcement officials have confirmed that   
two dead bodies were found in Vice Minister Relena Peacecraft's   
estate Tuesday. The identities of the two is unknown at his time,  
however, it has been confirmed that Miss Peacecraft was out of the   
country when the bodies were found and has since returned to help   
facilitate the investigation."  
  
Relena mutes the news caster and turns to take in me, Heero and the   
two strangers in one glance. "I cannot have my name associated with   
this fiasco. I cannot be party to aiding and assisting criminals. My   
spokesperson is going to issue a statement saying I had no knowledge   
of Duo's presence and was merely giving hospitality to the former   
pilot and war hero Heero Yuy."  
  
"I understand," I say before Heero can offer objections. And I do,   
understand. I'd rather not hide behind Relena's pink coat tails   
anyways.  
  
She gestures to the two new people, "This is the best lawyer I could   
find and the best psychiatrist." I flinch at that one, shooting a   
panicked look to Heero, but he's staring at Relena. I don't want a   
new doctor. Can't they get my old one from L4? That one understood   
enough.   
  
Relena continues talking, "Both have agreed quite nobly to assist the   
Peacecraft cause and both know I only want peace through pacifism."  
  
Heero speaks up in a soft but commanding voice, his eyes hard and   
cold and threatening, "Thank you. This is very generous of you,   
but..."  
  
"But nothing. I insist," she stresses that. Insists. Capitalized.   
"That you accept their services. I'll see to it both are paid in   
full. It would be most advantageous for all of us if you listen well  
to their advice," she says carefully, looking to Heero instead of me.   
  
She's buying our cooperation. Damn her. She doesn't care what it   
means for me to found guilty, or even not-guilty by insanity.  
  
Relena waits for the nurse at the station to unlock the door before   
leaving, one final glance to Heero. I study the professionals. The   
woman in a hunter green skirt-suit must be the psychiatrist and the   
thin wiry young man the lawyer.   
  
To my slight surprise, the man introduces himself as "Doctor Davis,"   
as he shakes Heero's hand.  
  
"I'd shake your hand, but my arms are immobilized," I say with a   
Maxwell grin. The doctor frowns. Score: Davis 0, Maxwell 1.   
  
"He's strapped to the bed," Heero explains quietly, looking at me   
with a 'behave!' look in his eyes. I beam back at him, but he isn't   
fooled. Concern lurks in cobalt depths  
  
"Janice Jerome," the woman says. She has a stern countenance, her   
thick auburn hair knotted tightly at the nape of her neck. "As soon   
as Relena lets the police officially name you a suspect we can get   
this whole thing cleared up. I assume you'll be arrested, but bail   
shouldn't be an issue. I can probably get R.O.R anyways."  
  
Doctor Davis raises one pale eyebrow, "Own recognizance? As a mental   
health specialist, I would not recommend that."  
  
"Hey, doc, my job's the legal shit, not health."  
  
The arguing's making me dizzy. I look to Heero, who looks to me and   
shrugs helplessly. The lost expression of his face is so cute I can't   
help but laugh. Laughing keeps my mind off the terror.   
  
Janice Jerome and Doctor Davis both stop talking to stare at me. I   
smile charmingly in return to ward off the rising edge of blind panic.  
  
"If you would excuse us, I think Duo and I need to get better   
acquainted," Doctor Davis says stiffly. Importance is just radiating   
off him. Pompous bastard.  
  
Heero shuffles slightly closer to the bed as the lawyer crosses her   
arms in a standoff-ish way. No one cares what I want. The lawyer   
think she knows what to do, and Doctor Davis just looks so   
knowledgable. Then Heero's hovering around all... I sigh even though   
I want to scream and watch the whole thing with a disconnected   
interest as the air stirs up with a prospective battle.  
  
Interrupting the stand off is a nurse. It's my old pal Beatrice.   
Visiting hours are over," she announces, hands on her stout hips.   
"I'll not have you disrupting my patient's rest."  
  
As my three visitor's file out of the room, I'm only sad to see one   
of them go, Heero glances back, catching my eyes again and we both   
shrug minutely, expressing our mutual confusion. We're trapped by   
Relena's generosity. Because of it all, the truth will never be   
known. Amy's death and that of the maid will be forever forgotten to   
the realm of political back wash.  
  
Beatrice wields the Thorazine shot. "Just to help you sleep," she   
says in a motherly voice, but I know better. I know they don't give   
you that kind of serious medication just to sleep.  
  
Not that I mind.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"You're not real," I whisper, "Heero told me so."  
  
She frowns, "Heero told you I'm not real?"  
  
I nod.  
  
"Do I look real? Feel real?"  
  
I nod.  
  
"But Heero said I'm not real, and you believe him?"  
  
I don't nod. "Why can't you stay until he arrives? Then you can just   
tell him you're perfectly real and not some... some hallucination!"  
  
"Sorry, Duo. I can't do that," Natasha says. I believe her, because   
she genuinely seems sorry. I understand. She's hiding. "You need to   
get out of here. I've seen the news stories; everyone thinks you   
killed those two."  
  
"And you think I didn't?"  
  
"I know you didn't. I can prove it, too. Just not yet. You need to   
get out of this place, though. Once they force you into pleading   
guilty it'll be near impossible to prove otherwise."  
  
She's right. Natasha's always right. Always, always, always. Right.   
"How am I suppose to get out of here? It's high security, and I'm   
tied to the bed."  
  
She scoffs, "The Duo I know wouldn't be stopped by a simple thing as   
leather straps. If you're ready, I'll go take care of the nurse.   
Rendezvous by the elevator, that's where the cameras are no longer   
able to film our movements."  
  
"But the straps..."  
  
Natasha's gone, just like that. I've no choice but to meet her, now.   
I try to approach the situation with my pilot training, ignoring the   
drugs threatening to muddle my thoughts. I wiggle, testing the feel   
of the leather bonds.  
  
I can do this.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"The cameras were originally installed to make sure the night-shift   
nurses stayed on duty. Unfortunately, that means only the nurse's   
station is fully viewable in the tape, but you can see the edge of   
the ICU room Mister Maxwell was staying in and he shows up... here,"   
the security officer said, pointing to a shadow emerging from   
Duo's room.  
  
Heero nodded slightly, recognizing the lithe movements. "Where was   
the nurse during this?"  
  
The officer glances to his supervisor for a moment before replying,   
"She was found unconscious by a janitor. We suspect Mister Maxwell   
knocked her out. We still haven't figured out how the door was   
unlocked, since it locks from the outside and can only be accessed by   
the nurse's station console."  
  
"Heero, you realize this only compounds the trouble Duo's gotten   
himself into, do you? His earlier transgressions getting out of the   
institution, which include assault, kidnapping, grand theft auto,   
reckless driving and resisting arrest. Then he violated ten more laws   
getting back into the country, and then he goes and kills two people   
then escape with violence yet again!"   
  
Relena was all but screeching at that point, "Not to mention his   
record, and this time being a war hero won't make it all go away and   
grant him freedom after only a year's parole!"  
  
For the moment, Heero opted to ignore her hysterics. "What else?" he   
asked the security officer, looking to the vid screen.  
  
"There isn't any other evidence. The escape was virtually perfect. It   
wasn't for this little bit of film..."  
  
Heero felt an odd bit of pride for Duo's accomplishment, however   
crazy, reckless, stupid and possibly suicidal it might be. He had   
already heard from the doctor... No, he wouldn't think about that.   
  
He wouldn't think about Duo wandering around by himself, weak from   
blood loss and his wounds and major surgery and about a hundred other   
things. The doctor had said that without pain killers and medical   
treatment, that without a way to prevent infection, and the fact they   
had yet to actually fetch out the bullet and it was lodged so close   
to vital organs...  
  
"Heero! Heero, are you listening to me?" Relena demanded.  
  
"No," he replied automatically.   
  
Relena turned red, then purple, but, fortunately, the detective spoke   
up before she could explode. "Do you have any idea where Mister   
Maxwell might have gone or might go?" the man asked gruffly, flipping   
to a new sheet of paper in his pad.  
  
  
"If Duo doesn't want to be found there is nothing you can do."  
  
"Heero can find him," Relena announced, almost right on top of   
Heero's statement, "can't you, Heero? No matter how good Duo hides,   
you can find him. You and your pilot friends."  
  
He wanted to tell them to leave Duo alone. At the moment, he was   
seriously thinking about doing just as Relena was suggesting and   
finding Duo, only he would help hide him. This time they wouldn't   
come out from hiding, not for all the Natashas in the world.  
  
"Mister Yuy, I do not need to remind you it is a crime to assist in   
concealing criminals from the police."  
  
Pompous pig.  
  
"If I help you find Duo, you have to swear to keep the death penalty   
off the table," Heero said quickly, trying to work everything out into  
a functional mission. He needed to find Duo without the police being   
able to find him as well.   
  
He needed Duo to try and stay alive.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Author's Notes: Ah, okay, I just couldn't stay away from the angst   
and this story for long. I'm officially out of pre-written material,   
since I ran out about half way through this chapter. Hm, oh well!   
R.O.R stands for Release on Own Recognizance, which means they let   
you go without bail, basically meaning they trust you not to run off   
or doing anything stupid. I knew years of watching Law & Order would   
come in handy!  
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2002 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.  
Email me to join my Update ML!   
LSE - Violet Nyte (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)  
shameless plug - visit my website for cool "shtuff"  
http://violetnyte.fallenweb.net 


	10. Come Tumbling After

LSE // 12-24-02  
(The Black Queen - Chapter Ten: Come Tumbling After)  
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content  
shounen-ai/yaoi  
  
Come Tumbling After  
  
  
  
  
  
I'm so dizzy I can no longer stand. Natasha walks on in front of me,   
a shadow disappearing in further shadow. I slump against the wall and   
collapse to the floor, staring at the cracks in the cement. How long   
has it been since we left the hospital?  
  
It hurts, it hurts so much. Everything all over hurts, hurt so much   
so bad oh it hurts pain pain pain pain why hurt pain agony.  
  
"Duo. Duo, get up. Please, Duo, we have to keep going," Natasha   
whispers as she kneels beside me.   
  
I can't, I can't.   
  
"Duo?"  
  
I can't. Hurts. Can't you see? Pain. Can't you?  
  
"Duo. Duo, please!"  
  
She gently rolls me closer to the wall and sits beside me,   
cross-legged and elegant as if the damp and dark street was her snug   
and warm bedroom. She brushes the hair from my forehead and leaves   
her hand there. Feeling for fever? I feel on fire, but I'm so cold.  
  
"S...sorry," I shudder out, wanting to curl up for warmth but unable   
because of the burning, burning pain in my side. The pain, the pain.  
  
"Just stay awake, okay? Duo, stay awake."  
  
"Cold," I mutter, rolling my head away and then nuzzling it back   
against her hand.   
  
I lay there for what seems forever as Natasha sings softly. I can't   
understand the words, but I'm not suppose to listen, just hear and   
stay awake, but Natasha said so. Can't sleep I have to stay awake and   
hear Natasha sing and try to fight the fire and cold and hurt.  
  
Should have just stayed at the hospital. No, I would have died there,   
too. Or they would have boxed me up and shipped me off someplace.   
But, then, I could have died with Heero near. If I was lucky. I don't   
want to die on the side of the street.  
  
Natasha's talking, now. She's no longer singing. I can't hear what   
she's saying either, but I managed to reply with incoherent noises   
whenever her voice raises in a question. I can't help think I sound   
like Heero.  
  
"Duo, are you awake?"  
  
"Hn," I make an effort to mimic Heero.   
  
"We can't stay here any longer."  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Duo, you have to get up."  
  
Oh, no. No way. Nuh-huh. Just leave me here and I'll die in peace.   
Feel free to run and save yourself, but I'm just perfectly content to   
surrender to the pain. It's trying to destroy me, anyway... Might as   
well let it.  
  
Natasha gently lifts me upright enough so that I'm leaning against   
the wall, the rough brick pressing through the think fabric of my   
shirt. She firmly grips my head in her hands and makes me look at her.  
Pale blue eyes stare at me until I raise my head enough to stare back.   
  
"Duo. I can take you back if you want. Or I can just drag you to the   
police station and let them deal with you, but you can't just stay   
here. I can get you somewhere safe, and then I can make the pain go   
away, but only if you help me."  
  
"Oh. K."  
  
Natasha nods as she rises to her feet, taking my hand.  
  
"It isn't much further," Natasha says as she helps me to my feet.   
  
She holds me upright against the wall as I quell nausea and command   
the world to stop spinning. One arm around my waist and the other   
ready incase I fall, Natasha helps me stumble forward. I guess we   
must look like two drunks going home from the bar, or else the police   
would have caught up to us by now.  
  
"Where...?" I breathe out in question. Anything to keep my mind off   
the pain, that horrible pain.  
  
"Somewhere safe. I'm so sorry, Duo. You can rest when we get there.   
I can get you something for the fever and the pain."  
  
I shiver violently, almost right out from her grip, "S-s'ok."  
  
Holding me up against the wall, Natasha fumbles with a lock I can't   
see for a moment before guiding me through the door and into our   
destination. I take no more than a few stumbling steps before   
collapsing, Natasha helping to lower me to the floor.  
  
I hear her footsteps vanish as I lie there, counting the carpet   
fibers and doing anything to forget how much it hurts. I tremble with   
the fever and shiver from the cold and shake from the pain. Natasha   
returns and covers me with a thick blanket or scratchy wool.  
  
"Duo?" she whispers, and I realize my eyes are closed.  
  
I make an incoherent sound I assume I meant to be her name and force   
at least one eye open. Her crystal blue eyes stare down at me, and I   
see within them she knows. I'm not sure what she knows, but it is   
about me, and it isn't good. Of course. She must have accessed all my   
files and read my charts and. And she knows why I'm so hurt.  
  
Which blurred image of Natasha is really here? It must be the middle   
one, but I'm not sure. I let my heavy eyelids falls because it's no   
longer worth the effort of keeping them open, despite Natasha's   
protests. She's pleading with me, ordering me to stay awake.   
  
"Heero..." I murmur, and she falls silent. I hear her stand, and then   
footsteps fade.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Heero tossed fretfully in his bed, unconsciously laying a hand over   
the empty place that should have held Duo's sleeping body. He was  
never aware of the time in the night when he would reach out to Duo   
just to feel the other man's presence. Duo represented home, and even   
though the bed might have been a guest bed, it was their bed so long   
as they shared it.  
  
There was no Duo, though, to meet his touch.   
  
Heero's head rolled against the pillow as he tried to escape the   
nightmare clutching him. Normally, when visions of terror haunted   
through his dreams, he could rely on Duo to wake him.   
  
There was no Duo, though, to wake him.  
  
In the dream, there was Duo. Heero ran after his love, calling his   
name, as Duo kept walking away. No matter how fast he ran, Duo was   
always ahead of him. "Duo!" he shouted, trying to run faster when the   
footprints he was following were made from blood.  
  
"Heero?"  
  
"Duo!"  
  
The slim black shadow turned, amethyst eyes bright as he stared off   
into nothing, not looking to Heero even when he screamed Duo's name.  
  
He shuddered awake, clutching at the bed sheets and staring at the   
empty place beside him where Duo belonged. The room was silence but   
for his frantic pants as, slowly, reality separated from the   
dreamscape and he was left staring at an empty side of the bed.  
  
Ring.  
  
Heero stumbled out from the bed, partially tripping over the sheets   
which tangled about his legs. He reached the phone just as the second   
ring began, quickly picking the receiver up before anyone else could   
hear the ringing. He paused, ear to the phone, trying to listen for   
the other extensions being picked up.  
  
"...hello?" the person on the other end whispered.  
  
"Hello," Heero said in return, still trying to listen for Relena or   
one of the detectives. He knew he was suppose to inform the police,   
stationed down the hall, if someone contacted him.  
  
"Who is this?" the person asked, politely but demandingly.  
  
"Heero. Who are you?"  
  
"Heero? Good, good. Is it just Heero? No one else, yes?"  
  
"Yes. Who is this?" he was disappointed it wasn't Duo, but then he   
didn't think his love so stupid as to actually call. The police   
thought they were just dealing with Duo Maxwell, but Heero knew they   
messing with Shinigami.  
  
"If you are the only one, than perhaps you can guess? You told him I   
was not real. I disagree with that statement, for I feel quite real."  
  
Heero stopped breathing, kneeling down behind the table and looking  
hurriedly around. He whispered into the phone, "Is he with you?"  
  
He recognized the voice now, but just barely. He had only seen her a   
few brief minutes and wasn't really paying attention she they spoke,   
but who else could it be but the infamous Natasha? He respected Duo's   
high opinion of the girl, but he remained suspicious of her. She was,  
after all, crazier than...  
  
"He is with me. You must make him stay awake. Yes, you will do this?   
Just keep him awake."  
  
A slight shuffle and then he heard a quiet breathing, but no words.   
Straining his hearing, he could barely catch the soft background   
sounds of footsteps. A door opened, then shut. He tried to shake free   
of lingering sleep and figure out what was going on.  
  
Natasha called him, and wanted him to keep...  
  
"Duo?" he whispered, moving even further under the table.   
  
"Heero?" came the faint reply.  
  
"Where are you? Are you okay?" Please, please let him be okay, Heero   
thought frantically. Damn, damn, he should have thought to hook the   
phone up to a tracker, but he had never thought... Duo never would   
have called! Of course, Duo didn't, the girl did.   
  
"Tell me where you are, and I can come get you, okay? We can go away   
again. You can bring Natasha. Duo? Duo, please say something."  
  
"Dunno where. Natasha left. Heero?"  
  
"I'm here. I won't leave you. I'll stay here. Duo, the police are   
wanting me to help hunt you down. I told them I would, but only if   
they took the death penalty off the table. I won't, though. Duo, I   
won't let them get you, okay? Duo?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Heero ran a hand through the tangled chocolate snarl of his and tried   
to calm his racing thoughts. Soldier wouldn't help, he needed to keep   
talking to Duo, since the other man was obvious hurt somehow. He   
needed to know what was wrong and Duo's location.  
  
"What happened, Duo?"  
  
"Escape. Natasha said... so," there was a slight moan and the sound   
of Duo's quiet breathing before he started talking again, "Mad?"  
  
"I'm not mad," Heero lied. Mostly he was scared, but anger was   
definitely up on the list of emotions he denied having. "Duo, the   
doctors never took the bullet out. I swear to you I won't let them   
take you away, but you... you can't die, Duo."  
  
"Okay. I won't."  
  
Heero laughed softly, squashing the back of his hand against his cheek  
to keep the tears from falling. He caught the soft sound of footsteps,  
but it wasn't from over the phone. "Shit. Duo, I've got company. You   
have to stay awake, okay? Promise me! Promise me you won't go to   
sleep. Natasha will be back with help, okay? Duo!"  
  
"Gotcha. No sleep. Heero..."  
  
"Heero?" came a soft call from the closed door. Heero turned to stare   
at it in numb surprise as the voice called again, "Heero, it's Relena,  
please open up?"  
  
Heero gripped the phone closer and slowly moved out from under the   
table, edging away from the door. "What?" he called, faking a sleepy   
tone, "Relena? What time is it? What do you want?"  
  
"Heero?" the phone whispered, Duo whispered.  
  
"I'm still here. Relena's at the door," he whispered back.  
  
"Heero, I heard you shouting. Was it a bad dream?" Relena called back,  
her feet causing a shadow over the line of light spilling under the   
door from the hallway.  
  
"I'm fine," Heero said in the most casual tone he could. Monotone. He   
turned from the door and cupped a hand around the phone, whispering,   
"I have to go, Duo. You have to stay awake, for me. Okay?"  
  
"K. Heero. Heero, wait. Heero, I love you."  
  
Heero swallowed and started to nod, but then realized there was no  
way Duo could see his agreeing that way.   
  
"I love you," he whispered back as the door swung open. Before Relena   
could switch on the lights he all but threw the phone back on the   
table and stepped away from it.  
  
Relena gave a slight shriek when the lights did go on, however,   
because Heero was standing there in only a pair of thin, white cotton   
boxers that left little to the imagination. While she threw her hands   
over her eyes and squealed, "I'm not looking!" he used the time to get  
even further from the phone and put on the nearest piece of clothing.  
  
Which turned out to be Duo's bathrobe. He pressed his cheek against   
the black silk and turned away from Relena, not being able to conceal   
the emotions he was sure lurked in his eyes, and not wanting her to   
see them.   
  
...I love you.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
There's a click, and the phone goes dead. I've got to be hallucinating  
at this point, but I don't really care. Heero told me he loved me,   
and I heard it. He wants me to stay awake, so I focus on the   
operator's voice telling me to please hang up and try my call again.  
  
I don't know where Natasha went.   
  
Heck, I don't even know where I am.  
  
Please hang up and try your call again.  
  
Heero, Heero, Heero.   
  
I could hit redial. No, Heero said he had company. They must be   
tapping his phones or something. Relena, he said Relena was at the   
door. I can imagine that little scene. Hello, may I speak to Heero   
please? Oh, this is Duo. Oh hi Relena! Yes, I just love being   
agonizing pain, you? Wonderful!  
  
Please hang up and try your call again.  
  
Scoff, scoff. I've been in worst pain than this, haven't I? Suck it   
up, Maxwell, you pansy. You freak. You psycho. Crazy, crazy. My eyes   
are closed. Whoops. Open, eyes, open! OPEN! Stay awake! Heero said   
so, said to stay awake. He even said please. Love you. Please. Awake,   
stay, fever, pain. Love you.  
  
How long? How long since I left the hospital, since I was whole, since  
I could breathe, since I could sleep without fear, live without fear,   
since I was me again and not hiding, always hiding. Gotta stay awake,   
Heero said so. Heero, love you. Heero.  
  
Please hang up and...  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Author's Notes: As you can see from the date, I got behind in posting  
the new chapters. I went and bought myself a GameCube with Animal   
Crossing for Christmas (since I didn't get gifts, just money) and I've  
been playing it ever since. Animal Crossing is crack. Plus I have a   
stash of Vanilla Coke in the mini-fridge so...uhm, yeah. ^_^()  
Good news is, the Parental Units have confirmed that if I clean up my  
room and keep it clean, they will assist in moving the computer. Which  
is good, because I can stay in my room and alternate 'fic writing and  
Animal Crossing. Please feed the muses lots of happy reviews!!  
If you haven't checked out of my Christmas giftie thingie already,   
please do so!  
-----------------------http://violetnyte.fallenweb.net/xmas.html  
  
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2002 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.  
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LSE - Violet Nyte (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)  
shameless plug - visit my website for cool "shtuff"  
http://violetnyte.fallenweb.net 


	11. Hello Dragon

LSE // 1-5-03  
(The Black Queen - Chapter Eleven: Hello Dragon)  
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content  
shounen-ai/yaoi  
  
Hello Dragon  
  
  
  
  
  
I can't hear the operator's voice anymore. Am I sleep? Have I died...?  
I'm sorry, Heero, I tried, but I guess...  
  
"Duo."  
  
Natasha, calling softly. I stir a little, mumbling something in reply.  
She smoothes the hair off my forehead and speaks in a low voice, but   
I can't make out the words. Oh. She's talking to someone else, not me.  
  
"Duo," she whispers, almost right in my ear, "I brought a doctor."  
  
I can hear the doctor, now, entering the room. Whatever was being   
said cuts off, and I hear a loud, surprised, "Duo!"  
  
Natasha shifts warily, her hand moving away as she stands. "You know   
him? How do you know him?"  
  
"Is it? No, can't be..."  
  
Wait. Hold it, I recognize that voice. Eyes... open! Open! Blurry, but  
I can see. Locating the doctor, ah, there. A woman, by the voice.   
Yellow hair, off to either side of her face and-- Oh. My.   
  
"Sally?"  
  
"Duo? You know her?" Natasha asks, looking between us with a startled   
look on her face.  
  
"That is Duo!" Sally Po comes over and kneels beside me, staring at   
Natasha while she quickly checks my pulse and feels my forehead. I  
wish they just asked me, I could tell them I have a fever. But the   
cool touch feels good, so I won't complain.  
  
"What's going on here? I already fetched one bullet out from this   
man's gut, and now you tell me he's gone and got himself another   
one?" Sally sounds more annoyed than concerned, so I guess I'm not   
dying. She wouldn't joke about something like that, would she?  
  
Natasha doesn't answer, "Will you help him or not? I was told you   
weren't one to ask questions."  
  
"Yes, of course. Of course I'll help him. Duo," she says, speaking   
slowly and carefully towards me, "Where is Heero?"  
  
Good question. Relena's, I guess. Which what I'd like to say, but all   
I can manage is to incoherently repeat, "Heero."  
  
Sally doesn't say anything else, quietly and efficiently opening her   
med-kit with a snap. I hope she's got something for pain in there,   
and lots of it. "You said the bullet's still in him. How long ago was   
he shot, and is the wound bleeding?"  
  
"Shot five days ago, and I'm not sure on the bleeding."  
  
"Five days? And you didn't think to get help until now? Good lord,   
girl! Infection alone may kill him."  
  
"He's been in a hospital until recently," Natasha says coldly.  
  
Sally's hands still and as cautiously repeats, "Hospital?" She   
lightly swats my shoulder, "Duo! You fool, don't you ever learn? Why   
I ever let myself get involved with you pilots in the first place is   
beyond me, really it is."  
  
"I got a good look at the hospital's medical charts. Trust me, the   
last thing that hospital was interested in was healing. That bullet,   
the one still inside him, was no ordinary bullet. Poison," Natasha   
declares, whispering in a conspirator's tone. "And they left it in to   
slowly kill him."  
  
"What?" my turn to speak. I shift my eyes over to stare at Natasha,   
"Poison? Relena... what?"  
  
Sally's eyebrows nearly fly right off her forehead, "Relena? Oh, Duo.   
Don't tell me... You're the one they keep talking about on the news?"   
She sighs, "That certainly explains a lot."  
  
Natasha shifts slightly, still watching Sally warily. I wish I could   
explain to her who Sally Po is, and that we can definitely trust her.   
Heck, I'd trust her more than I would some underground doctor... wait,  
I guess this means Sally IS an underground doctor. Which makes me   
underground. I had expected theme music to announce this fact. But,   
sadly, my life is apparently not a soap opera.  
  
Crystalline-blue eyes don't move from Sally's face as Natasha nods   
slightly, "Duo seems to trust you, thus, I will do the same."  
  
"Ditto," Sally replies, but she relaxes slightly and leans over me,   
"Duo? Here's something for the pain."  
  
Finally. Took them long enough, with all that yammering on about   
trust and 'do you know him' this and 'poison' that. Why would Relena,   
a dead-set pacifist, use such extreme measures to make sure the   
bullets were lethal? Of course, Relena seemed surprised to even know   
she had guards with guns.   
  
Sally's musing aloud over the same thing. "I use to assist Relena   
with personal security, I know exactly what kind of bullets your   
talking about. They were experimenting to find a new, non-lethal   
kind, specially made to comply with Relena's pacifist ideas while   
still keeping her pretty head attached to her pretty neck. I never   
actually thought she had developed them to this point and was using   
them..."  
  
My head's getting fuzzy. So tired. Wait, can I sleep? Heero said to   
stay awake, and I promised him that, because he loves me and I've   
just got to keep awake!  
  
Natasha's breath tickles my ear as she says, "Sleep now, Duo Maxwell."  
  
Oh. Okay.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Sally is speaking.  
  
I can't make out the words. It all sounds like buzzing.  
  
Sally again.  
  
Someone else is speaking. Loud, brash.  
  
Sally replies.  
  
The other person speaks.  
  
I recognize that voice.  
  
Oh, my God.  
  
"Onna! What foolishness....involving yourself...now?"  
  
"Wufei, please! Not..." I snatch desperately at the words, trying to   
keep them from sliding away and merging back into the darkness,   
"loud, Duo's trying...sleep."  
  
"Trying? Maxwell does not need to 'try' to sleep, he already is! And,   
need I remind you that if soldiers were to burst in here, Duo would   
be asleep and powerless to defend himself? A warrior does not sleep   
when the enemy seeks him, unless he is a fool and his companions also   
fools! Or onna. Same thing-- ouch! Why reason did you pinch me, you   
crazed onna!"  
  
"Get away from there before you wake him up. He needs to sleep as much  
as he can."  
  
"Does Yuy know of this?"  
  
"I don't know where Heero is. That girl won't tell me anything."  
  
"Girl?"  
  
"What's all this? Who are you? Get away from him!"  
  
Ah, there's Natasha. Maybe she can explain to these hallucinations to   
go away and leave me in peace.  
  
Sally's turn now, "This is a friend of mine," she says quickly, "and   
he is a close friend of Duo, too."  
  
"Onna child," Wufei mutters, clearly not remembering Natasha. Wait,   
did Wuffie-chan ever see Natasha?  
  
This is going to get ugly. I need to tell Natasha she can trust Wufei,  
even though he is an obnoxious pig at times. I need to tell Wufei he   
can trust Natasha, even though she's... crazy? I dunno, maybe she's   
not. I mean, what proof have I that she is? Too tired.  
  
"Get away from him, both of you. Now." Natasha orders, her hand   
suddenly resting possessively on my chest.  
  
"Come on, Wufei, don't start a fight. Okay, we'll stand over here.   
Duo's sleeping, see?"  
  
"Why have you not taken the bullet out yet? It will kill him!"   
Natasha doesn't seem very happy.   
  
Agh, open, eyes! Work, mouth! Speak, say, do SOMETHING before they   
all kill another.   
  
"They've stitched over the wound and it has healed around the bullet.   
I can't perform that kind of surgery here, without proper sanitation,   
anesthesia or equipment. All I can do is keep the poison from killing   
him and let him sleep, but that's becoming difficult with you both   
yelling in his ear!"  
  
"And who is he?"  
  
"I," Wufei says angrily, "am Chang Wufei. How come you have Maxwell,   
and where is Yuy? Who are you, onna?"  
  
"I 'have' Duo Maxwell because I rescued him from a sure death and   
even though it endangers my own life, I intend to save his!"  
  
Both Sally and Wufei speak at the same time, their questions melding   
and over lapping. There's a pause, and then just Sally says, "Where   
is Heero Yuy?"  
  
Natasha's hand jerks, and the surprise in her voice is evident, "You   
are friends of Heero Yuy? Then, you must know who I am."  
  
"I do not know you," Wufei says, "and the only way Yuy would ever let   
a stranger take Maxwell is if you either killed Yuy or kidnapped   
Maxwell, so which is it?"  
  
Surely Wufei remembers Natasha, from the institution?  
  
"I can assure you no harm has befallen him on my behalf. Duo came with  
me of his own free will. Heero Yuy has been informed as much as   
possible and knows Duo is safe here with me."  
  
"Yuy knows about this crazy onna?"  
  
"Look," Sally says suddenly, and I can imagine she's forced herself   
between Wufei and Natasha like a soccer referee, "why don't we just   
go ask Heero about all this?"  
  
"I can't let you do that," Natasha says dangerously. Threateningly.   
Natasha, don't do anything stupid...! "What guarantee do I have that   
you won't simply run and tell the cops about Duo? I can't have you   
endangering our security."  
  
Wufei makes an unattractive snorting sound, "I have more honor than   
that!"  
  
"If you Duo's friends you will understand. However, I am inclined to   
trust you, so here's what I'll do. You may leave and I will take Duo   
someplace else. I will call Heero in twenty-four hours with   
instructions on how to find us again, if you truly want to help.   
Otherwise, I will find a different doctor."  
  
Sally and Wufei are whispering to each other. Finally, Sally speaks,   
"I guess that's fine," she sounds so reluctant, "but what if just   
Wufei goes, so I may stay with Duo? You already heard Duo confirm he   
knows and trusts me.  
  
"Duo was not very lucid when you first arrived. However... I don't   
think it would be a problem for you to stay. It would probably be   
best for Duo's health anyways."  
  
"..."  
  
I think they're still talking, but its becoming too much of an effort   
to decipher the words already. I'm just so tired. So tired.  
  
Ah, peace.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Voices drifted in from the rooms beyond, and Heero looked up from the   
screen of his laptop to better hear them, especially since he   
recognized one of the voices. Relena's high pitched whining carried   
far, unfortunately, but the calm tone that replied held far too much   
command and authority to belong to any of Relena's people, or the   
police. Or, for that matter, any resident of the Sanc kingdom.  
  
He was about to simply go back to his work when the tell-tale, angry   
snort came drifting to his ears. "Onna!"  
  
Heero rose smoothly and separated himself from the laptop, soft   
footsteps carrying him down the hall. He paused at the doorway and   
shamelessly eavesdropped on the conversation, which was loud and   
heated enough to carry to his ears even if he hadn't been trying to   
listen.  
  
"I don't think Heero's here right now," Relena lied, "but I can take   
a message for you, if you like. He is eagerly assisting the police in   
locating our rogue friend."  
  
Before Wufei could reply, Heero pushed open the door and walked in,   
carefully arranging his face to look as if he hadn't been listening.   
"Yuy!" Wufei snorted, dark eyes narrowing suspiciously at Relena.  
  
"Oh, Heero, you're home early."  
  
The line was so domestic sounding it sent a chill down Heero's spine,   
but he ignored it and pretended to look mildly surprised at Wufei's   
appearance, "Wufei. What brings you here?"  
  
Both sets of ex-pilot eyes fixed upon Relena, who tried her best to   
smile pleasantly under the heat of the stares. She finally swallowed   
and let out a weak sound of protest, "I'll be in the parlor if you   
need me," she offered, turning and leaving with a longing look over   
one should as if all she wanted to do was stay and have a chit-chat.  
  
"Wufei," Heero repeated once the annoying young man had left. If it   
wasn't for the police breathing down his neck, he would have long   
since checked into a hotel in the city.  
  
"Yuy," the Chinese man replied cordially, "I think you owe me an   
explanation. Last time we met, I had thought everything was settled."   
One dark eyebrow raised cautiously, needlessly warning Heero against   
the dangers of speaking without thought.  
  
Heero gave the faintest of nods, acknowledging he understood the   
other man's warning. Crossing the room to stand over by the office   
desk, he gestured Wufei over as he found pen and paper. "How much   
have you heard from the media?"  
  
"Very little," Wufei said for the benefit of anyone listening, eyes   
intend on the words appearing on the pad of paper in Heero's neat,   
orderly hand.  
  
[Duo and I were searching for someone,] Heero wrote, [situation   
leading to his injury unknown; I believe him innocent in the girl's   
death, maid as well. I had no knowledge of his escape.]  
  
"Well, I'm doing everything I can to help the police," Heero said   
with an added sigh as if to express his discontent that the search   
hadn't been more fruitful.  
  
Wufei took up the pen and wrote beneath Heero's message, [Who were   
you looking for, and have you had any contact from Duo?] Out loud, he   
said, "I've come to lend my hand in the search as well. Maxwell is a   
fool, but I think between us something can be done."  
  
"I appreciate it," Heero mumbled, paying more attention to what he   
was writing than maintaining conversation. On the paper, he was busy   
scrawling down a lengthy paragraph, forsaking neatness for speed. [We   
were looking for the girl from the institution: roommate. I have heard  
from Duo. Situation grim, injury worse. Bullet not removed. Doctors   
say without treatment...] Heero set the pen down abruptly, then   
picked it back up and started a new line, [He's with her now.]  
  
Wufei slowly raised his eyes from the paper to stare at Heero. Aware   
the silence probably seemed suspicious, he filled it, "Any luck so   
far trying to figure out where Duo might be?"   
  
Without meeting Heero's eye, he carefully wrote down [Who is Duo   
with? Her name.]  
  
One chocolate eyebrow twitched slightly, but Heero gave away nothing   
in his monotone reply, "No luck so far. I don't think he's tried to   
leave the Sanc kingdom yet. It would be foolish to try."  
  
[Natasha,] Heero wrote, [the roommate. She called me last night.]  
  
[Black hair, young? Blue eyes?]  
  
"You've seen her?!" Heero yelped out before he could stop himself   
once he could see Wufei's words. "Wh-"  
  
Frantically, Wufei punched Heero hard in the stomach to get the man   
to shut up. "Yuy!" he hissed, low, "I'd rather you not discuss my sex   
life in quite that manner!"  
  
Heero wasn't sure which shocked him more, the punch or Wufei's words.   
Belatedly, he realized him mistake and forgave the man for the punch,   
which really hadn't hurt that badly to begin with. Grabbing at the   
cover story Wufei had invented, he muttered, "My apologies. How is   
she doing?"  
  
"Fine. I came from her place, soon as I saw the news."  
  
[Duo?]  
  
[Bad. Sally Po is with him. Sleeping when I left. Girl did not   
identify self, Duo was not able to identify me or Sally.]  
  
"Are you staying at her place, a hotel or were you planning on taking   
up residence at Relena's?" Heero asked as stared down at the words   
Wufei had written before adding his own, [Not able as in unconscious   
or delusional?]  
  
[Unconscious. Might have been awake when Sally arrived. Girl will   
call in twenty-three hours so I can rejoin them.]  
  
"I was planning on staying with her, but unfortunately I need a place   
for just tonight."  
  
[What do you know of Duo's injury?]  
  
"I'm sure Relena will let you stay here," Heero said, silently   
turning to a new sheet of paper on the scribble-filled pad.  
  
[Bullet near major organs, was not removed.]  
  
"Thank you."  
  
[Bullet also poison. You not know this?]  
  
Wufei nudged Heero with his foot before the man could blurt anything   
else out in his surprise. Fortunately, Heero gave a ghost of a shake   
to his head but, before he could write a reply, a knock came to the   
door. Hurriedly, he ripped the two sheets from the pad and stuffed   
them into his pocket just as the door opened.  
  
"More later," Heero whispered into the man's ear, eyes watching the   
maid bustling importantly about the room as she pretended to dust.  
  
"Don't do anything foolish, Yuy."  
  
"Have I ever?"  
  
"Not shooting Relena when you had the chance..." Wufei murmured back   
at the pink-clad woman in question breezed into the room with a   
cheerful smile. Heero grunted his agreement.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Author's Notes: Whew! After a couple of agonizing days stuck into a   
formidable amount of writer's block, I finally regain the muses two   
days before I have to go back to school. -_-;; Oh, well, I tried to   
make up for that by making this chapter extra-lengthy instead of   
cutting it off where I had originally intended. Fortunately, its only   
midnight and the night is still relatively young, so I *might* be   
able to squeak out another chapter before the weekend's over.   
Unfortunately, I'm still crammed into the back office, but I have my   
Duo-blanket to keep my company. The downside is the intense back-pain   
from the uncomfortable seating arrangement. *sigh*  
Oh, in case you care, I've started work on making a webpage for   
"Wedding Vows" just like I did for "Completing the Silence." Yay,   
I'm obsessive! ^_^() heh...  
  
If you haven't checked out of my Holiday giftie thingie already,   
please do so!  
-----------------------http://violetnyte.fallenweb.net/xmas.html  
  
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2003 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.  
Email me to join my Update ML!   
LSE - Violet Nyte (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)  
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	12. Pater et Filia

LSE // 1-6-03  
(The Black Queen - Chapter Twelve: Pater et Filia)  
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content  
shounen-ai/yaoi  
  
Pater et Filia  
  
  
  
  
  
It hurts. Please, it hurts.  
  
Heero. Heero, no, wait, come back. Don't leave me.  
  
I won't, I promise, just come back to me. I love you, please!  
  
Can't you hear me screaming?  
  
No, wait, you can't! Don't leave me!  
  
Heero, Heero, Heero! No!  
  
Pain, the pain, always the pain.   
  
Please. I don't want to hurt anymore.  
  
Heero! NO!  
  
Swirling slashes of red and black obscure whatever's above me, but   
all I know is whomever it is, they're gripping my shoulders hard. I   
scream, trying to struggle but finding the grip too strong and the   
pain too great. "NO!" I shout.  
  
"Duo!" the person above me shouts frantically, giving a shake. I   
scream louder; why won't they let go?  
  
"Get off him! Let go, let go!"  
  
"But he'll hurt himself..."  
  
"Do it!" a gun clicks and the hands release me.   
  
"NO!" I thrash wildly, ignoring the waves of blinding pain it causes,   
but nothing is there to push away. I'm free. I collapse against the   
floor, eyes wide and unseeing. Nightmare, I tell myself. Just a   
nightmare. But why does it hurt so much, and where am I?  
  
"Duo," the voice with the gun says calmly, "it's okay now. You were   
dreaming. You're okay now."  
  
Slowly, my battered mind figures out whats going on. There is a click   
and a flashlight's beam illuminates everything in a soft glow, enough   
so I can see Natasha kneeling at my side and holding a gun towards   
Sally, whose backed away from me to almost across the room.   
  
"S'okay," I mutter, "gun down."  
  
She nods and the re-holster the weapon, still warily watching Sally,   
who in turn is watching me. I moan, there is so much pain. Natasha   
slowly closes her hand over my wrist, gently, taking my pulse. "Calm   
down, Duo," she orders. "You have to calm down. Breathe slowly, don't  
aggravate the wound further."  
  
I'm comforted by the strict commands. It reminds me slightly of Heero.  
I nod weakly and focus on doing as she says, slowing my pulse and   
breathing. I lay still as she moves her hand to my forehead, brushing   
back the sweat-soaked bangs.  
  
"What time is it?" I whisper hoarsely. This is the first time I can   
recall being awake since Wufei left. I don't see him anywhere, but   
Sally's still here. The look on her face is one of helplessness. She   
wants to help, but Natasha's knelt protectively over me and doesn't   
look ready to let Sally approach.  
  
"Twenty-one hundred, roughly."  
  
"When are you calling Heero?"  
  
"Soon, I... What? Duo, how do you know about that?" Natasha says in   
obvious surprise, and I realize they don't know I heard that   
conversation. You hear a lot when people think you're dead,   
apparently.  
  
"Heard you. Should have just asked me. Baka," I try to laugh, but it   
just comes out as a sickly cough. If only Heero could be here. I miss   
him, even though it hasn't been very long. Time seems to stretch   
forever when you're dying. No. I'm not dying!  
  
"You need sleep," Natasha counters, but I can hear a tinge of   
acknowledgment in her voice. "The doctor is a friend of yours?"  
  
"When I escaped from the asylum...?"  
  
Natasha nods slightly, "I read the reports."  
  
"Sally fixed me up. Good friend. Trust her?"  
  
"Of course. Sally!" Natasha barks, pointing to the woman, "Forgive my   
distrust, but you can see the reason for caution."  
  
"So, you'll let me care for my patient now?" Sally says with a hint   
of anger as she snatches her med-kit and comes over.  
  
"Sally," I mutter, giving another laugh/cough thing. Gah, I hate this   
feeling of being three inches from Shinigami's embrace. I at least   
thought I'd die in the war, in a glorious blaze of sex and power. No,   
I get to die from something as stupid as poison. Poison from a bullet   
specially prepared by the Good Lady of pacifism and peace herself.   
The irony was morbidly delightful. Delightfully morbid.  
  
"Here, something for the pain," Sally says in a soothing whisper.  
  
"No!" I say as forcefully as possible, causing both women to sit back   
and stare. "I don't want to sleep again. Let me stay awake." Heero   
wanted me to stay awake. "I want to talk to Heero."  
  
"Duo, you need sleep..."  
  
"Please!"  
  
Sally sighs and puts whatever it was she was going to give me away.   
Victory for Maxwell. Instead, she merely checks my vitals, blood   
pressure, pulse, body temperature and pupil dilation. She doesn't   
look happy with what she sees, and that sends tremor of fear through   
me. I really don't want to die. Not here. Not now.  
  
"What's the plan?" I mumble, struggling to keep the heavy eyelids   
open and my body alert.   
  
Silence greets my question, and I shift my eyes over to glare at  
Natasha accusingly, "You don't have a plan?"  
  
"...Of course I do, Duo. I'm going to prove your innocence and see to   
it that you can have freedom once more."  
  
"And I plan on seeing you back to good health," Sally offers.  
  
"...I want Heero," I mutter, closing my eyes then and allowing myself   
a brief respite from the pain. I can see my future spreading out   
before me, a bleak and useless abyss. Sally manages to yank me out   
from Shinigami's arms, then what? Natasha manages to prove I didn't   
kill the maid and Amy, then what? I still broke plenty of laws in my   
escape, plus the original price on my head from my first little   
flight for freedom from the asylum. Not to mention the fact I'm a   
trained terrorist with a known history of violence.  
  
They'll put me to death and I'll never see Heero again.  
  
"Should we wake him?" Sally whispers, so soft I can't hardly believe   
I heard it.  
  
"He wanted to speak with Heero."  
  
"M'not shleeping..." I slurr, forcing my eyes open and watching the   
red and black swirls. They're kinda pretty, I suppose.  
  
Natasha gently rests the phone against my face and I hear Heero's   
tense breathing on the other end. "Duo?" he asks cautiously, "Duo,   
are you there?"  
  
"S'me."  
  
"How are you doing?"  
  
"S'not bad."  
  
"Let Sally give you something for the pain."  
  
"K. Heero."  
  
I can hear the change in Heero's voice as he shifts from anxious   
lover to stone-faced pilot. It nearly takes my breath away to hear   
stern mission statements being given in that cold monotone. For some   
reason, I find it oddly comforting. "Wufei will rendezvous with you   
in the morning at a new location and while I lead the police to   
believe you've left the area."  
  
"Got'sha."  
  
"Maintain stable physical and mental conditions, soldier," Heero   
barks, only a slight tremor in his voice betraying anything other   
than command in that oddly comforting monotone.  
  
"Can do."  
  
"Listen carefully. I have reason to believe that Relena had no   
knowledge what kind of bullets were being used in her guard's   
weapons, or even that they were armed."  
  
"S'ok. Means?"  
  
"That means someone wanted you dead, Duo."  
  
Natasha shifts, only being able to hear my side of the conversation.   
I wonder what Heero told her, or what she told him. I realize that   
I'm the only one who even really knows who Natasha is, and I don't   
even know that much about who she is.  
  
"Are you still listening?"  
  
"M'here."  
  
I hear Heero whisper something to Wufei, who snorts in return. Heero   
speaks again, "Relena says that if you can find who really killed   
those two that she'll try to make you out to be a hero and arrange   
for a full to partial pardon with conditions. It's the best I've been   
able to get from her so far."  
  
I don't want to know what Heero's doing to get the Princess of Pink   
to agree to something crazy like that. With me out of the way,   
there'd be nothing to stop her from going after Heero. That wasn't   
very fair of me, I guess. Not her fault she had a crush on Heero.   
  
"S'ok. Love you."  
  
"Duo?"  
  
"Can't. Sorry..." I mumble, the heavy, heavy lids sliding shut as the   
slashes of pain increase and I slip into the merciful arms of sleep.   
Or death. At this point, I can't really tell.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Natasha's eyes narrowed into the darkness as pupils expanded and,   
gradually, shadows took on shape and detail. At her side, she could   
hear the soft sounds of the doctor's breathing and the even fainter,   
rattling gasps from Duo. "Stay here," she whispered, sliding around   
the corner without waiting for a reply.  
  
Her steps lightened, going from ultra-stealth to casual stroll. She   
had to blend into the shadows completely, but without suspicion.   
There was no reason to believe her anything more than a young woman   
eager to get home to her apartment after a long days work. The only   
thing disturbing the scenario was the time. She adjusted her walk,   
making it more cautious and therefore better suited for the situation.  
  
"So. You came after all."  
  
She stopped walking when the voice drifted out to meet her, drawing   
up and facing the shadowed wall. "I said I would."  
  
A snort of disbelief, "And I trust you as far as you could throw me.   
Who are your friends over there?"  
  
Natasha glanced over her shoulder, unable to see Sally or Duo, but   
knowing they were there. She didn't bother to ask how he knew. "No   
one you should be concerned about. Did you bring it?"  
  
"I said I would."  
  
"And I trust you as far as you could throw me," Natasha replied with   
a hint of a smile.  
  
The shadow laughed and stepped out into the dim pool of light caused   
by the street lamp. "You always were a clever one."  
  
A coy smile was her reply. She felt exposed under the lamp, but there   
was no other option. He had to feel as if the situation was his to   
dominant. She knew that. He knew that.  
  
"You look different, without the clothes or makeup."  
  
"I didn't think you were into that," she replied, mindful of the   
circumstances from which they had met. She detested the painted armor   
of the street walker, and the gaudy, sparkly clothes she was forced   
to wear for her alias. Head to toe she was swathed in her standard   
black, a much better feel than the whore's clothes had ever been.  
  
"Don't tell me you're out of the business now, Natalie."  
  
"Was I ever really in it? Come on, let's get this over with. I've got   
places to go and people to see."  
  
He sighed and, with a flick of nimble fingers, offered out the small   
data disk. "It'd be a real shame if I never saw you again."  
  
"I'll be around," she said in a noncommittal way, quickly taking the   
offered disk after glancing to make sure it was the right one.   
"Thanks. You're a real doll, you know that?"  
  
"I'd know it more if you'd come with me..."  
  
She smirked, "You should know better than that, doll." Before he   
could protest, she turned and walked away, her entire manner   
suggesting certain death awaited if he dared to follow. She held her   
breath, waiting for the sounds of his footsteps in the opposite   
direction.  
  
"What was that all about?" Sally hissed, shifting impatiently and   
causing Duo to stir fitfully in his sleep.  
  
"Just taking care of some business. This way, hurry," she gestured   
for Sally to follow as she slipped through the darkness. Already her   
mind was making plans for the little disk with its precious   
information. She'd need a way to access it, and fast. There was a   
good chance the disk was bugged or otherwise had a means of tracking   
attached, and she was never one to be fond of risks.  
  
Natasha knew the doctor didn't fully trust her, and didn't blame the   
woman. No, she respected her for it. Trust was dangerous and often   
fatal if given to the wrong person, and Natasha rarely made that   
mistake. She paused before what seemed to be a solid wall, but she   
knew better even if there were no outward signs. She knocked softly,   
and the doctor looked in surprise as what looked to be a wooden wall   
gave a metallic, thunking noise when struck.  
  
A slit opened and a pair of gleaming eyes peered out into the   
darkness at them both, taking the sight in before asking, "What?" in   
a harsh, dangerous tone.  
  
"Perhaps you should open the door," Natasha said lightly, just to   
throw the gate keeper off balance and make him think twice about   
exactly who he was dealing with.  
  
"And if I don't?"  
  
"I won't be very pleased."  
  
"And you are you?"  
  
Natasha smiled, "Xine Ohp El Boud."  
  
"...That's not your name, but the right answer anyway," the man   
grunted at last, the slit closing and the door opening. He irritably   
motioned them in and the door was quickly closed with a loud metallic   
ring, several inches of steel locks sliding intricately together.   
"Next time, missy, you'll give a password sooner and not bother with   
games," the guard growled, grabbing her arm for emphasis.  
  
A cold glare made him remove his hand and take a step back. "I'll   
require two rooms, one single and one double."  
  
"This isn't a hotel, girl."  
  
"For me, it is. I'm expecting company in the morning. He will give   
the password, and you will let him in. I'll be most displeased if I   
find him to delayed due to your stupidity."  
  
"I don't know who you think you are, girl..." the man started to say,   
but she smiled in such a way that made him fall silent. Without   
giving an explanation or letting him gather back his wits, she turned   
and gestured for Sally to follow. She knew where to find her rooms.  
  
It was dangerous, but often the best place to hide was right under   
the enemy's nose. Natasha knew that, until they figured out who she   
was, they would be too afraid to question her authority. She hated   
using borrowed time, but it was all she could do.   
  
"What are you doing?" Sally hissed, casting worried glances at the   
low ceiling of the corridor with the reinforced concrete walls.  
  
"Isn't it obvious? This place provides more security than we could   
ever hope to get on our own."  
  
"But what is this place?"  
  
Natasha pushed open the door and held it for the doctor, but nearly   
let it slam shut when she saw who was standing in the middle of the   
otherwise empty room. Sally quickly wormed her way in and warily eyed   
the man standing there, then looked to Natasha with something akin to   
concern in her voice as she asked, "Hey. You okay?"  
  
She'd been so careful, and to have everything ruined by such a simple   
thing! She should have known better than to think he would be   
somewhere else. Natasha forced her voice to come out cold and empty,   
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"Who is he?" Sally whispered, shifting impatiently.  
  
Natasha answered just so the woman would stop tilting Duo like she   
was, but she neglected to whisper like the doctor had. She spoke loud   
enough for him to hear, contempt clear in her tone, "Sven Letoivsky."  
  
The man chuckled slightly, as if not bothered by her anger. "What way   
is that for you to speak to me, my daughter?"  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Author's Notes: Uhm, wow. School's started again. Major suck there,   
but surprisingly I ended up in total fluff classes, including   
"Acting" which seems to be a barrel of fun. Also taking Latin 3,   
hence the chapter title. ^_^() It means 'Father and Daughter.'   
Eh-heh... I'm trying here, people, really. Made this chapter nice and   
lengthy as an extra apology for the lack of new chapters you had to   
endure ^_^   
I'm really sorry! ...really! Waahh, please review?!  
Chiizu and Storm, I wuv you. Oh, yeah, thanks a billion Ebony!  
  
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2003 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.  
Email me to join my Update ML!   
LSE - Violet Nyte (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)  
shameless plug - visit my website for cool "shtuff"  
http://violetnyte.fallenweb.net 


	13. Drawk cab

LSE // 1-9-03  
(The Black Queen - Chapter Thirteen: Drawk cab)  
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content  
shounen-ai/yaoi  
  
Drawk cab  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"What are you doing, Yuy?" Wufei asked once curiosity had firmly   
gotten the better of him. Out of respect he refrained from stealing a   
look to the glowing laptop screen.  
  
"Research," Heero muttered, eyes firmly locked on the scrolling text   
before him. He finally glanced up and motioned the other man over   
with a flick of his head. "I've accessed the mental hospital's   
records for the time Duo was there."  
  
Wufei's dark eyebrows rose, not in surprise that Heero had been able   
to acquire the records but surprised he had not done so sooner. He   
understood, though, that there was no longer a war and, in the peace,   
such hacking was against the law. However, Wufei did not believe   
justice was violated by the action, since the hospital obviously had   
not acted honorably towards Maxwell or any of the other patients.  
  
He looked over the words with mingled disgust and amusement, "Maxwell   
was issued solitary confinement for 'violent and disruptive behavior   
with gross disregard for authority and regulations?' ...That sounds   
like him."  
  
"Look here, where it says who was roomed with."  
  
"Patient #2149, Letoivsky."  
  
A few clicks and keystrokes later another file opened, but it was   
blank but for the barest facts. "Classified?" Wufei read aloud,   
"Released? The girl was released?"  
  
"According to Duo, she killed two orderlies and then faked her own   
death, but I haven't found any mention of the incident in the   
hospital records and the media reports are slim."  
  
"Why are her files classified? Was the girl in the government?"  
  
"Hn. Duo said she claimed to be a spy, but the country she reported   
working for does not exist."  
  
"She'd be a fool to tell random strangers her real purpose."  
  
"Hn. Look here," Heero brought up another page and tapped at the   
screen slightly before leaning back in his chair.  
  
"Double Phoenix? I never heard of them..." Wufei scanned the page,   
"Fanatic group, destroyed by Oz. I don't see the connection, but this   
is an old Oz report, isn't it?"  
  
Heero nodded slightly, "Look at the leader's name."  
  
"Letoivsky? That has to be a coincidence."  
  
"The leader escaped the Oz attack alive."  
  
"There must be several with that last name," Wufei countered, "just   
like how there are many named Yuy, Maxwell or even Chang."  
  
Heero glanced up, a calculating look in his eye as he sighed faintly   
and shook his head, "I don't like coincidences."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Get out," Natasha growls. She sounds angry. Is she talking to Sally?   
I don't know why she'd be mad at Sally, but I'd rather not have the   
woman start walking again. I wish she would just set me down   
someplace. Honestly, I'm not a bag of carrots one can simply carry   
around. Now introducing the Portable Duo, from Shinigami Inc.  
  
As if hearing my silent complaints, Sally shuffles slightly and I'm   
placed on to a surprisingly comfortable bed. A man's voice speaks low   
and gently to Natasha, "This is my house, too, Tashka."  
  
"And if you don't remove yourself from my sight, I will scream."  
  
"Tashka, you shouldn't be like this. Who are your friends?" he asks   
politely, not waiting for an answer from her as I hear him say to   
Sally in the same, polite and cultured tone, "Pleased to meet you,   
I'm Sven Letoivsky."  
  
Letoivsky! That's Natasha's last name. I wish I had heard the   
conversation before the growled rejection. If they're relating, I hope   
he isn't her husband. She's far too young to be married.  
  
Sally doesn't give her name, but when she replies it's in a reserved,   
cautious voice, "Perhaps you should listen to her?"  
  
"Sven," Natasha hisses, "leave!"  
  
"Tashka, please, won't you at least give me a hug? A kiss on the   
cheek? I have not laid eyes on you in so long!"  
  
Natasha gives a shrill cry of pure rage, "Why must you be so   
infuriating?! Get out, get out! You are a monster and I never want to   
see you again, now LEAVE!"  
  
He replies quietly, in a hurt tone, "I'm sorry to hear that, Tashka   
my darling. Maybe, when you've given it some thought, you'll take   
back those words and we can properly greet another. It was nice meet   
you," he says to Sally, then pauses slightly and I bet he's looking   
at me. I'd look at me, too. "Should I send a doctor for the man? He   
does not seem to be that well..."  
  
"I am a doctor," Sally says briskly, but with civility. I can almost   
hear Natasha's angry breathing. Straining carefully, I can catch the   
soft sound of feet on carpet and then the much louder sound of the   
door closing. It gives a distinctly metallic noise and I hear locks   
clicking and whirling automatically.  
  
Silence reigns supreme in the room and I can almost hear the curious   
stare Sally but be sneaking at Natasha, but it doesn't effect the   
calm, medical precision in the way she checks me over. When she   
touches my forehead to feel for fever, I stir enough to let them know   
I'm at least partially awake. It takes more and more effort now to   
open my eyes and actually talk, but easy enough to listen.  
  
"How are you feeling, Duo?" I don't bother to respond, but the   
question didn't need one anyway. Sally continues on, a questioning   
tone as the words are directed to both Natasha and me, "If we're   
going to be staying here for a while, I can take the bullet out. It   
has to come out soon." Left unsaid is 'or he'll die' but we all   
pretty much know the words are there, hovering over us.  
  
Natasha lets out a heavy sigh, "You're right. Sven... I don't trust   
him, not at all!" she says fiercely, "but there's nothing we can do.   
He won't let us leave, now, and... the bullet has to come out," she   
sighs again. "What supplies do you need?"  
  
"Anesthesia, or alcohol. Disinfecting alcohol as well, lots of it.   
I've got some basic tools in here, but I wouldn't say no to a good,   
sharp and clean knife. Sanitation is most important, I don't want to   
risk infection."  
  
"And what about the poison?"  
  
Sally whispers the reply, so I can't hear it. I hate it when they do   
that. It's probably easy for them to forget I'm listening.   
  
"I have to track down a laptop," Natasha says once they've finished   
the whispered conversation. I hear the door open then close, and then   
it's just me and Sally.   
  
"Someone owes me a big explanation," Sally grumbles, and I hear her   
drag over a chair to the bed and sit in it. "That girl..." she lets   
out an angry huff of breath, "Hey. Duo, you awake?"  
  
"Sh-ure."  
  
"What? Nevermind. Hold on, it'll be better once the bullet's out.   
Honestly, what sort of quack doctor leaves something like that in a   
person? Especially one in such an advanced hospital with formidable   
staff and equipment? The war's over, Duo, time to stop throwing   
yourself into danger like this," Sally chuckles a little. She's just   
rambling on in a soothing voice; talking for simply the sake of   
talking, like I use to do. Will do. Soon.  
  
"Did you hear that? Sounds like footste..." a knock interrupts   
Sally's words and she rises, calling, "Who is it?"  
  
"Sven, may I please come in?" he makes it seem like a sincere request   
even though there is an underlying threat, as if to explain there is   
no other option.  
  
Sally obviously isn't stupid. She opens the door after a moment of   
fiddling with the locks. "Natasha won't be very pleased. I think she   
meant what she said."  
  
"Tashka is very angry with me, but she'll calm down eventually.   
Pardon, I don't believe I caught your name earlier...?"  
  
"Susanne," Sally lied smoothly without a quaver of hesitation.  
  
"Ah. I see... do you have a sister named Sally, perhaps?" he chuckled,  
indicating Sally must have given some startled look, "I am sorry, it   
says Sally Po on the handle of your medical bag, there. You did say   
you were a doctor..."  
  
"Oh, yes. I never liked the name Sally much. Only use it for legal   
purposes and such. You may call me Doctor Po."  
  
"Doctor Po. A pleasure. Has Tashka mentioned me to you much?"  
  
"I'm afraid she's never spoke of her father."  
  
Father. So, that's who the man is. It makes sense, he sounds like an   
older man with some youth left in him. Tashka must be a pet name,   
since he wasn't confused by Sally's reference to Natasha.  
  
"Who is this young man, here? Is he badly ill?"  
  
Sally shifts minutely closer, her shadow falling over me. "He's not   
badly ill, in fact, if he wasn't sleeping he could tell you that   
himself. Ah, don't worry," a bit of teasing slips into her voice,   
"he's not Natasha's elicit lover."  
  
Sven coughs slightly to suppress a laugh, "Then, is he yours?"  
  
"No, just a friend. I'm afraid he's quite taken, though," Sally   
added, as an after thought. "May I ask, why is Natasha angry with   
you?"  
  
"Ah," the man sighs heavily, "my Tashka. My dear, sweet Tashka. I'm   
afraid she isn't quite all there. I love her; she is my daughter,   
after all, my most precious, but she is not well in the head, you   
see. I sent her some place for her own good, and she apparently has   
not forgiven me. Don't worry, Tashka cannot stay mad at me long."  
  
I wish now that I had gotten a chance to sneak a peak to Natasha's   
file at the asylum, like she had to mine. I can't tell if he's   
telling the truth, because Natasha never mentioned her father to me.   
It is possible that she was admitted under her father's orders, like   
Heero did for me.   
  
Sally plays dumb, "But you must have gotten her released, right? It   
seems she should forgive you, then."  
  
Natasha's father sounds mournful, "I wish she would forgive me.   
Maybe... maybe you could help me convince her of this, yes?"  
  
"I'll see what I can do," Sally replies carefully. She knows better   
than to commit herself to anything.  
  
Suddenly, the door clicks and whirls and the two of them fall silent.   
Natasha's angry voice comes next as she all but screams, "What are you  
doing here? I told you to get out!" Her anger shocks me a little,   
because I've never seen her angry before. She always seems so calm   
and collected, very professional.  
  
"I simply came to see your friends, Tashka. This one seems very sick,   
but I am glad you have Doctor Po. What is that you have there,   
Tashka-darling? You are far too young to be drinking..."  
  
She briskly ignores him, addressing Sally instead, "I couldn't find   
anything but strong scotch. I did get my hands on plenty of the other  
kind, though."  
  
Sally sounds flustered, "It's not for me," she protests, taking the   
offered bottles. "Did you find anything else?"  
  
"Will this knife work?  
  
"It will suffice, I suppose."  
  
"Who are you operating on, him? You would be better off in a   
hospital," Sven offers with a sly smile, as if he knows we are trying   
to avoid that sort of attention. When neither of them immediately   
offers a suitable excuse, he says in an almost proud yet still   
scolding manner, "You've gotten yourself involved in something."  
  
"Not like you," Natasha retorts in a cold tone.  
  
He ignores her anger, "Is it anything I can help with?"  
  
"I don't need your help."  
  
"Tashka, please. Do you let your friend suffer because we are having   
a disagreement..."  
  
"Disagreement?" Natasha's voice rises, shaking with disbelief, "You...  
you bastard! This is no mere 'disagreement' and I don't understand   
what you're trying to accomplish by acting all...fatherly! You don't   
care about me, you never have! What do you want from me? Why are you   
doing this? What could you possibly gain with this sham?"  
  
"Tashka..."  
  
"Don't! Don't 'Tashka' me, Sven!"  
  
"Please, calm down. Please don't say such things to me. I had thought   
you would understand by now, everything I did was because I love you,   
Tashka. You are my daughter."  
  
"Just because you fucked my mother does not make you my father!"  
  
"Language, Tashka! Language, please. It is unbefitting a young lady."  
  
"Er, Natasha," Sally offers diplomatically, "maybe you shouldn't yell   
so loudly here? Duo's trying to rest..."  
  
Natasha grumbles in reply, but doesn't shout anything more, for   
which I'm grateful. I wonder if he deserves her fury. He seems to   
truly care for her, but it could be an act. But, like Natasha, I   
can't see what he stands to gain from putting on a performance.   
  
"I am trained in field medicine, perhaps I can assist? Hold your   
instrument tray, at least?" Sven implores, to which his daughter   
gives a rude snort but holds her tongue.  
  
It hits me, then, what's going on. Sally's going to cut me open and   
pluck a bullet from my gut.   
  
With nothing but scotch to dumb the pain.  
  
"I could use an extra set of hands..." Sally says in an unsure tone,   
as if asking Natasha for permission.  
  
"I'm going to check the data on this disk, then. Let me know if I'm   
needed," Natasha replies in a calmer voice and I hear the all too   
familiar sounds of a laptop booting up.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Just as promised, the seemingly innocent wood gave a metallic clang   
when Wufei banged a fist on it. The sound faded quickly into the   
pre-dawn streets, still devoid of traffic or pedestrians. A   
rectangular slit opened and a pair of stern eyes peered out, silently   
observing.  
  
It wasn't until Wufei said the password Natasha had given him out   
loud that he caught the simplest trick of arrangement in it. "Xine   
Ohp El Boud..." he repeated it back to himself after the words had   
been recited for the guard.   
  
He could have kicked himself for not noticing it sooner.   
  
xineohP elbouD... Double Phoenix.   
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Author's Notes: I have fanart! Seriously! Storm, you rule! Let's all   
give Storm a hug.  
http://www.mediaminer.org/fanart/view.php?id=136016  
Isn't that just the spiffiest? ^_^() Even if she did spell my last   
name wrong... Oh well, it's close enough I suppose. This chapter   
wasn't *as* long as the past two, but that's because I managed to   
scrawl it out rather quickly. The move of my computer into my room   
was actually completely, so...yippee! I can now live in my room for   
substantial periods of time and I have an alarm clock so I won't be   
late to school ^_^ happiness!  
Oh, by the way, the chapter title is "Backward" spelled backwards...  
Ryoko-onee!! I missed you, wanna join the Update ML so you won't miss  
anymore updates?  
  
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2003 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.  
Email me to join my Update ML!   
LSE - Violet Nyte (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)  
shameless plug - visit my website for cool "shtuff"  
http://violetnyte.fallenweb.net 


	14. Ashes

LSE // 3-16-03  
(The Black Queen - Chapter Fourteen: Ashes)  
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content  
shounen-ai/yaoi  
  
Ashes  
One of the first things I notice, besides the fact I'm actually   
conscious enough to be noticing things, is the fact the pain has   
localized now. Instead of being all over my body in one constant   
drone, it's now conveniently moved to central right in my side.   
Where I'm assuming Sally Po took the bullet out from. Does this mean   
I'm better now? Whereas better is a purely relative term I'm sure.  
  
Waking up would be nice. I can't remember the last time I was   
actually awake. Not just eyes open or alert enough to hear, but   
actually physically and mentally awake. I wish I would open my eyes   
and find Heero's cobalt blue eyes gazing back at me.   
  
When I do figure out where my eyes are and how to open them, I'm a   
little surprised to actually find blue eyes watching me. For one   
disorientating minute, I think it must be Heero, but then the shapes   
converge and my vision clears enough to where I can see it isn't him.  
  
"So you are awake now," the owner of the pseudo-Heero eyes says   
warmly in a familiar way, and I feel I should know him.   
  
I give a very inarticulate and hopelessly incoherent response, but to   
my surprise the man simply smiles reassuringly. "The doctor's asleep   
in the chair over there, should I wake her for you?"  
  
"No," I manage to rasp out. Why is my throat so sore? Almost   
immediately after the question is posed my frazzled brain offers the   
answer; my throat is sore from screaming at the pain killer-less   
surgery performed however long ago. Lovely. Thank you frazzled brain.  
  
The man nods slightly, "How are you feeling?"  
  
"You're Natasha's father," I say instead, since I've finally placed a   
name to the voice and accompanying face. He looks like Natasha,   
especially in the eyes, only his are darker and not as crystalline.   
Plus he lacks the cat-like slant. His features are sharper, more   
defined. The skin is loose with age, but besides that and a few minor   
wrinkles and creases, he's still a youngish man.   
  
Early fifties, late forties. Going with what I've assumed Natasha's   
age to be that seems about right.  
  
"Oh, that's right. We haven't been introduced," he says with a   
heavier accent that Natasha but one still too faint for   
identification. "I am Sven Letoivsky. And you are Duo, yes?"  
  
I nod, which is easier than speaking. I seemed to have gotten myself   
a headache at some point. The frazzledly logical brain offers no   
reason for the pain in my skull. Bastard brain. Consciousness seems   
wasted.   
  
"Who is Heero?" I'm guessing I must look surprised, because he   
hurries to add, "you were calling to him earlier..."  
  
How embarrassing. I'm not sure what to say, what lie or truth or   
alias. Well, not alias because he knows my name already, which means   
Natasha didn't bother to conceal my identity or he did some research.   
Heero would research his daughter's companions. If he had a daughter.   
He's not really the daddy type.   
  
Saving me from straining my stupidly logical, frazzled brain is the   
metallic clang of the door opening and starting to shut, but being   
stopped from doing so at the last minute. Natasha's heated voice   
calls out, "What are you doing in here?"  
  
"You're friend is awake," Sven says calmly as he rises and moves out   
of my range of vision. With him gone I can see Sally, who is now   
awake and trying to look as if she wasn't sleeping on the job,   
metaphorically speaking. For a moment I can't figure out who the   
person walking over to her is, but then I realize it's Wufei.   
  
...Wufei?  
  
"Good for him," Natasha retorts, and I'm tempted to laugh. But   
laughing would be painful.  
  
With a defeated sigh, Sven leaves the room. I hear the door shut, and   
it is as quiet as one could expect a steel door to be if the person   
shutting it was trying to be quiet.   
  
Natasha comes into my line of vision and nods thoughtfully seeing I   
am actually awake. She shoots a wary glance to Wufei and Sally, who   
casually get up and, muttering reasons, leave the room. I'm surprised   
Wufei would obey such a glance from a woman, but I suspect Sally   
might have something to do with it. Or maybe they are actually going   
to find some cozy corner to... Wow. Wufei's sex life is so not   
something I want to ponder.  
  
Damn frazzled, logically stupid brain.  
  
Natasha drags the chair Sally was occupying over to the bed. It   
occurs to me maybe I should sit up. But I'm too lazy. Whatever.   
"How are you feeling, Duo?" she asks with little real curiosity.  
  
"Whatever," I reply, since I have a real fondness for that word right   
now. It's so generic. So full of attitude, but if you soften it just   
right it becomes a caress. Whatever.   
  
"I suppose you'll want an explanation or... maybe an apology." It   
isn't a question and Natasha keeps going with a sigh, "What first?   
I'm not sure what all to say."  
  
Where have you been? Why did you take so long to write? Are you really  
crazy? Why are you so mad at your father? Where's Heero? Do you have   
any idea what we're going to do? What I can do? Where am I?   
  
The silence between us stretches and Natasha gives a tired sigh,   
"I don't like staying here. We should think about moving on as soon   
as you can be moved. Although, I have no fear of the police finding   
us," she gives a rough laugh with little actual amusement held in   
the tone.  
  
"Where is this?"   
  
"Seta prefecture. Sanc, still. The best place to hide," Natasha   
laughs, almost harshly. Roughly, definitely, "is right under   
someone's nose, hm?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, under the police's nose?"  
  
Natasha gives me a somber look and I instantly regret my words. I'm   
not sure why I regret them, but just that they sound unbelievably   
foolish. Perfect Baka words. Ah, baka... Heero... Natasha's look   
softens and she murmurs, "This goes much deeper than the Sanc   
authorities." She looks me, and starts to say something, but then she   
pauses and only slowly shakes her head. I don't question. I know   
better than to question.  
  
And then, Natasha begins to speak. For a while, it's just her voice;   
emotionless, soft, telling a story I'm having trouble listening to.   
But, this is Natasha, and not even pain will keep me from hearing   
what she has to say.  
  
"It's not an easy thing to fake your own death these days.   
Fortunately, none of the doctors at the institution actually checked   
my pulse. I was breathing so slowly and shallowly it did look as if I   
was surely dead, and there was so much chaos... A good trick, hm? I   
couldn't fool the ambulance attendants or their machines, though.   
So, I knocked them both out and took control of the vehicle. I did   
not want to kill them, but I had no real choice. More of a   
self-defense motivation you could say."  
  
I'd done similar things in the war. Sometimes, civilians just have to   
die no matter how innocent they may or may not be. I want to tell   
Natasha as much, but she already knows.  
  
"Where'd you go?" I ask instead.  
  
Natasha goes silent, staring down at her hands. For a moment, I'm not   
even sure she heard the question. Maybe I just imagined that I'd   
spoken. I start to ask again, straining to speak louder, but the   
words die on my lips as Natasha doesn't answer but, instead asks,   
"Do you know who my father is, Duo?"  
  
"Uh, Sven?"  
  
"Have you ever heard of the Double Phoenix, Duo?"  
  
"...is it a bar?"  
  
Natasha gives a brief smile, then holds up her right arm, rolling   
back the sleeve to nearly her shoulder. On the upper curve of her arm   
is a swirling tattoo of reds, oranges and bold black script. It's a   
strangely frightening thing, because I know that, when I first met   
her, she had no such tattoo. It's faded a little, from time, so I   
know it can't be a recent addition. "No," she says softly to the   
un-asked question, "you're not suppose to recognize it. I used   
bioskin to conceal it, before."  
  
"It's pretty," I offer, a bit confused as to why she's showing me it.   
And the tattoo really is quite pretty; two flaming birds back to back   
with something written. It's twisted around the figures, but also in   
a language I can't read. "What's it mean?"   
  
"You fought in the war, Duo. You know of the fanatic groups. Those   
foolish idealists who thought they knew how to curb the power   
hungry," she laughs bitterly, "I'm not surprised you never heard of   
Double Phoenix. They were all but destroyed before the war even   
really got started. Their leader was a fool; he thought he could   
take Oz."  
  
"...I'm not following."  
  
Natasha sighs, giving me the slightest look of annoyance. But, she   
must have realized that it's fortunate I'm even around to be stupid,   
so the look fades and she explains it carefully.  
  
Her father lead the Double Phoenix, that fanatic group I've never   
heard of (I bet anything Heero would know. Where is Heero...?) in a   
near-suicide attack against Oz. He escaped, dragging Natasha with   
him. But, as I already understood, Natasha hates her father and   
didn't want anything to do with him or the Double Phoenix. "Why do   
you hate him?" I ask when she stops talking for a few moments.  
  
Her face darkens, the crystalline blue eyes narrowing into a glare   
that could challenge the Yuy Death Glare. "Sven killed my mother   
because she wanted to leave. He's a monster," she says firmly, "he   
only saved me from Oz because he hoped to train me... He wanted to   
make me into the same sort of monster. This tattoo; he gave to me   
after he killed my mother. Did he really think I could ever forgive   
him for that?"  
  
My only answer is an understanding silence. I know she doesn't want   
my pity, so I don't give it. After a quiet minute, she continues, "He   
realized I would never subject myself to his tyranny. But, I knew too   
much, and I was old enough to rat him out. I'm not sure why he didn't   
just kill me. Maybe he still hoped I'd prove useless," she says in a   
disgusted tone. I'm finding it hard to connect her story of a cold,   
heartless bastard with the man I met, but I don't doubt her. At   
least... I mean, she's Natasha...  
  
"I spent eight years being shuffled from hospital to hospital, and   
Sven's signature and tearful stories convinced the doctors I was   
crazy. When I grew older, I began to try for escapes. If I succeeded,   
Sven would just find me and take me back. If I told the doctors about   
the Double Phoenix they would just write it down as another delusion.   
If they started to wonder about my sanity, or if Sven found out I was   
talking about him... he would just transfer me some other hospital."  
  
Natasha looks over to see if I'm still listening, which I am, before   
continuing, "When you came to the hospital, I had just turned eighteen  
the week before. That made me an adult. I was no long subjected to   
whatever Sven decided was best for me. He knew it, too, but he   
counted on the system. They don't like releasing crazy people about   
into society. Especially those with 'delusions of paranoia and   
grandeur living in 'a fantasy world of her own creation, beliefs   
supported by delusions and a sense of persecution.' I had planned   
originally to simply escape. But," she smiles, "you gave me an even   
better plan."  
  
"Sven had to have known I wasn't really dead. How could he not? I am   
his daughter, after all.. I don't understand what he thinks he's   
doing, acting all kind and gentle like this..." Natasha shakes her   
head in genuine confusion. She's not the only one confused.  
  
I can't believe Natasha was held against her will that long. Even the   
stupidest of doctors should have been able to see that Natasha wasn't   
crazy. When I first met her, yeah, she did seem a bit delusional with   
all her talk of espionage, but still... Right now, she's being saner   
than anyone I know. My head hurts from trying to think about.   
  
But, I'm hardly one to judge a person's sanity.  
  
"Be careful, Duo. Sven wants something, I can tell. That's the only   
explanation why he hasn't turned us over to the authorities yet. But,   
you just focus on recovering. I don't want to stay here long."  
  
She stands and starts to leave, but I call her back, "Natasha, wait.   
Do you know who killed Amy, and the maid?"  
  
"Not yet. But I know it wasn't you. Trust me. Now, sleep."  
  
Because she's Natasha, I believe her.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Alone in the semi-sanctuary of his room, Heero swiftly committed   
seven misdemeanors and two felonies as he hacked into databases he   
hadn't so much as thought of since the war ended. Once a soldier,   
always a soldier, he thought as a low tone signaled he'd successfully   
bypassed the security. It was almost too easy.  
  
He worked fast, mindful that, at any moment, Relena would come   
strolling in under one pretense or another. Heero wasn't sure if she   
still harbored some lingering crush on him, and he definitely did not   
want to find out. Right now, though, he knew her to be across the   
house dealing with public relations and the media.  
  
A few keystrokes later, he brought up three different files from   
three different hospitals. With Wufei gone, he lacked anyone to   
bounce data off of, but that didn't matter. These files lacked the   
classified status of the ones he'd earlier dug up, and, besides the   
fact some of the doctors had horrible hand-writing, they were   
surprisingly easy to read.   
  
Letoivsky, Natasha. Age, twelve. Diagnosis... Heero raised an eyebrow   
in mute shock. At least a paragraph of precise block lettering gave   
the impression of a severely disturbed girl. Schizotypal personality   
disorder? Heero wasn't even sure what that meant.   
  
Rising up from the chair, Heero crossed over to the bookshelf and   
quickly located the dictionary. R... S... there. Schizoid...   
Schizotypal. A disorder characterized by oddities of thought and   
behavior, but not involving bizarre psychotic behaviors. Delusions   
and hallucinations may be present or absent.  
  
Footsteps in the room beyond caused him to set the dictionary back on   
the shelf and hurry back to the laptop. A few keystrokes caused all   
the open windows to vanish as the door swung open wide. When Relena   
walked in with a smile plastered on her face, Heero could easily let   
her see what he was working on.  
  
"Heero, what is that you're doing? Playing solitaire, again?"  
  
"Hn."  
  
Relena shifted nervously, fiddling with the sash of her dress.   
"Heero... the police just called," she said with all pretense of   
happiness gone. She looked merely worried, whether that concern was   
for her own good name or for Duo, he didn't know.  
  
Heero tried to remain passive, "Hn?" he asked, absently picking his   
coffee cup off the desk. He frowned at the brown stain on his mouse   
pad, as if by glaring would make it disappear.  
  
"They found Duo."  
  
The mug hit the floor.  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
Author's Notes: ***IMPORTANT!!!** If you joined my Update ML and did   
not receive an email from me about this latest chapter it means I lost  
your address! I had to reinstall AOL and lost my address book ;;_;;  
Please email me again (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com) and I'll simply re-add   
you to the mailing list. Thank you!  
Wow... been forever, huh? Over two months since the   
last chapter... I hope you guys even still care. I'm on Spring Break   
right now, and I feel real optimistic about *possibly* being able to   
pull off the actual ending before school starts back up again.  
I've got seven days of freedom left. Cross your fingers!  
For those of you curious as to what happen to me, I hit a bit of a   
ough spot in my life and the muses died. Many, many, many thanks to   
Ebony for just being there and to also be my muse and beta. I love   
that girl! Without her, I wouldn't have been able to write this.  
And thank you to each and every person who left me some sort of   
feedback or comment. Please, please try to either review or comment,   
just something to let me know I still have people out there who want   
me to continue this 'fic.  
  
Thank you.  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2003 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.  
Email me to join my Update ML!   
LSE - Violet Nyte (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)  
shameless plug - visit my website for cool "shtuff"  



	15. Go in Circles

LSE // 3-17-03  
(The Black Queen - Chapter Fifteen: Go in Circles)  
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content  
shounen-ai/yaoi  
  
Go in Circles  
From the looks he had been receiving and the persistence of the   
questioning, it was clear to Heero that the police suspected him of   
knowing more than he was telling. What was true, but still a   
disconcerting assumption for them to have made. As a result, Heero   
knew that the phone lines were tapped and, if he should leave   
Relena's mansion, a cop would be following him.  
  
Which made it impossible to send word to Duo. Maybe he'd get lucky   
and they would move to a different hiding place. The police had,   
somehow, dragged up files on Natasha and come to the same conclusions   
Heero had already reached. The Double Phoenix, very much alive and   
operational, had a meeting house somewhere in the area. Natasha,   
somehow connected to the group, was seeking asylum with them.  
  
Fortunately, the police had yet to actually locate the group's hiding   
place and that meant there was still time. How much time remained to   
be unknown, but at least...  
  
Relena dismissed her assistant and turned the full force of her   
attention to him, "Heero, she began, then pausing and lowering her   
voice to a conspirator's whisper, "What are we going to do about Duo?   
Have you found someone to accuse of my maid's death. They've proven   
that gun Duo had... his finger prints are all over it, and the   
matched the bullets to the gun, so we know that's the gun that killed   
Galina..."  
  
"Galina?" Heero repeated, the name, for some reason, making all the   
fine hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.  
  
"Galina Nikolaevna. A good maid, too, despite being new..."  
  
Relena continued rambling about something (he wasn't listening) and   
eventually, discovering that her intended audience was actively   
playing minesweeper, wandered out in search of a more attentive   
listener. As soon as the door closes, Heero inputting the name into   
Relena's personnel database. He didn't like coincidences, and that   
name... it sounded familiar for some reason.  
  
The girl's file was pristine. Too perfect. Why did the name strike   
him as so important? On a hunch, Heero brought up some of the reports   
he'd found on the Double Phoenix and skimmed over them. "Among the   
bodies not accounted for in the raid of one of the known safe houses   
of the group..." with a frown, Heero gave the list of names more than   
just a cursory glance.  
  
Towards the bottom, he found what he was looking for. Galina   
Nikolaevna, clearly listed as not one of the captured or killed   
members. He looked again to the maid's file, then ran several checks   
on all the information listed. Unfortunately, he couldn't find a   
single fault in what was given. Galina, the maid, had all the right   
background information to separate herself from the Double Phoenix.   
  
And, if she was really an ex-fanatic and could arrange to get all the   
right paperwork to prove she wasn't Galina Nikolaevna, why keep the   
same name? It was dangerous, foolish, to keep the name. Although,   
neither the surname or the given name were exactly unique or   
uncommon. She might have assumed there would be no danger in keeping   
her real name, even if she did change her entire past.  
  
Or, it could just be a coincidence and these were two different   
Galinas.  
  
Except, Heero didn't believe in coincidences.  
  
--------------------------One Week Later------------------------------  
  
When I wake to the sounds of typing, I almost expect to find Heero   
sitting beside me, hunched over his laptop. It takes me nearly a   
minute to fully wake up and figure out that, of course, its not   
Heero. Natasha glances over and, seeing me watching her, visibly   
starts. Whatever she was working on closes with a few keystrokes and   
she casually leans back in her chair.  
  
I've been doing nothing but sleeping it seems, and every time I wake   
up its either Sally, Wufei or Natasha sitting there watching over me.   
Sally usually checks me over, then manages to slip me something that   
makes me go to sleep again. Wufei just glares, so I usually pretend   
to be asleep when he's around.  
  
Natasha is oddly quiet, though, and has been since she told me all   
that stuff about her past. I haven't exactly asked her to elaborate   
any, either. I want to know why she's so sure I didn't kill Amy and   
the maid, but she hasn't told me that either. Whenever I ask she just   
changes the subject, or gives me a distant look. That's okay, though,   
because I've been doing nothing but sleeping.  
  
Natasha smiles slightly, "How do you feel?"  
  
"Good. Is he gone yet?" Yesterday, we agreed that, since Sven was   
supposedly going to be leaving the complex today, we would leave.   
Natasha doesn't like staying here with Sven, and I'm inclined to   
agree. Whenever Natasha isn't around, I sometimes catch him talking   
to Wufei or Sally. Afterwards, I can't help but notice them looking   
at Natasha suspiciously.  
  
She nods, "I think we'll leave here in a minute. Listen, Duo... What   
do you remember from when Amy died? Do you remember shooting   
the maid?"  
  
"Wha.. what? I thought you said I didn't do it!" I can only gape at   
Natasha, horrified by the prospect that I actually did commit murder.   
I've killed before, but during the war, enemies, doesn't count--!  
  
"No, no," she hurries to add, "I know you didn't kill the maid or Amy.  
I was just wondering why you think you might have."  
  
"Isn't it obvious," I say, "I had the gun... and I don't remember..."  
  
Natasha gives me a sly smile, "Think carefully... Tell me, what do   
you remember?"   
  
I just stare her, not entirely sure what she's getting at, but I have   
a feeling she's going to tell me what really happened, so I obey. "I  
was asking her..." I frown, staring at my hands and struggling to   
remember. It seems so long ago. A forever age ago...  
  
//"Are you hiding from the same people Nata was?"//  
  
//The fine hairs along the back of my neck slowly stand on end. "I...   
don't think so. I don't know, who was Natalie hiding from?"//  
  
//Amy pales, "I can't tell you. Bad people, though."//  
  
//"Please? I might be able to help her better if I know."//  
  
"I asked her who you were hiding from... She was telling be about the   
Double Phoenix!" I grin triumphantly, "And then... someone shot her.   
In the head, she just fell over dead..."  
  
//Amy's big brown eyes are already clouding over in death, her   
features frozen in a look of bewildered astonishment. At least, as   
much of her face that isn't covered in blood, gore and fragments of   
her skull.//  
  
//I stare down at her in shock, unable to figure out why she's dead.   
Slowly, I turn my head to find the barrel of a gun aimed down at her   
body. A third shot rings out.//  
  
"It was the maid. She shot Amy! The maid," I spread my hands, then   
look up to meet Natasha's eyes, "the maid shot Amy, right?"   
  
She nods, "And then, do you remember who shot the maid?"  
  
I shake my head, "I just remember grabbing the gun. And then, the   
guard came in and shot me, but I don't remember that. Heero was there.  
I think I was going to shoot Heero, but I don't remember it."  
  
"When I was hiding," she smiles, as if amused by the word, "with Amy,   
walking the streets as a prostitute, I met some interesting men. One   
of them worked on Relena's security team. I got a disk from him that   
has the video of that day."  
  
I stare at her, "You mean, Relena had this whole thing on tape?" my   
voice flies up a few octaves. "She could have easily shown it to the   
police and it would have proved that--"  
  
"No, Duo, your room wasn't on tape. But, the corridor was... here,"   
she turns to the laptop and quickly loads up the disk. A grainy video   
shows the maid walking up to the guard, the one that shot me. Natasha   
narrates, "Watch carefully... see how she's flirting with him? He   
doesn't even notice when she... see?" Natasha points.  
  
I watch, stunned, as the maid clearly lifts out the guard's gun from  
its holster and slides it into her apron. She takes out a duplicate   
of the gun and puts it right back where the original one sat before   
breaking the kiss with the guard and sauntering off.   
  
"I assume the gun she gave the guard had nice, lethal-poison loaded   
bullets, since that's what ended up inside you." Natasha pauses the   
video and looks to me to see if I'm following.  
  
"But, why would the maid want me dead?"  
  
She smiles, "You weren't her original target. More of just a bonus.   
Here... fast forward the video about and hour and here the maid comes   
again, but see how she's walking?"  
  
I peer at the laptop's screen. The video isn't of the best quality,   
but I can make out the painful gait. "She's limping," I look to   
Natasha for confirmation, "but why is she limping...?"  
  
"She'd been shot."  
  
"What? But, she's just now going into my room... How..."  
  
Natasha turns away from the video as the rest of the scene plays out;   
Heero running down the hall, the guard following a minute later. She   
reaches out and closes the video, "You never fired a bullet from the   
gun you picked up, Duo. The maid shot herself before going into your   
room to kill Amy."  
  
"But... why would she do that? Why shoot herself?"  
  
"To frame you for both murders, and possibly kill you in the process.   
It's a brilliant plan, really. She was wearing gloves, so the only   
finger prints would be yours, and it'd be so obviously your fault   
they would never think to check for gunpowder residue. I'm sure if we   
went and hunted down those gloves, assuming they haven't been messed   
with, there would be gunpowder residue."  
  
"But, I still..." I look to Natasha imploringly, "Why did she do it?"  
  
She sighs, "It's my fault... When I knew you were trying to find me,   
I asked Amy to masquerade as me for a while. I'd hoped you'd give up   
and go back into space. I never thought... Amy was killed because the   
maid mistook her for me."  
  
"You? Natasha, why would the maid want to kill you?"  
  
"She was told to," Natasha replies cryptically, glancing sideways at   
me from a veil of her hair. It obscures her face, so I can't read her   
expression.  
  
"But... How am I ever going to prove this to anyone, though?"  
  
Crystal blue hues reguard me quietly for a moment before Natasha   
says, "I have some papers, some computer files... Give them to the   
police and it'll prove Galina was told to kill Amy. If you can find   
the gloves, they'll have the gunpowder residue... these security   
tapes. As far as proving Galina shot herself, it's all in her orders."  
  
"...Galina?"  
  
Natasha blinks, then nods as if to herself, "I'm sorry, I didn't tell   
you, that's the maid's name; Galina."  
  
"Relena said she could make me out to be a hero. But, Natasha, I   
still don't understand why ...Galina?" she nods, "why Galina would   
want to kill you, even if she was told to do it. Who wanted you dead?"  
  
Natasha starts to answer, but then swiftly stands as a metallic sound   
rings through the air. I glance over, seeing the door open, and just   
barely manage to keep from doing a double-take. Standing there in the   
doorway is Sven, the look on his face that of... a father, maybe,   
catching his daughter with her hand in the cookie jar.  
  
"Get out," Natasha orders, eyes narrowing, but by the way she's   
fiddling with her shirt hem I can tell she's... scared?  
Sven says nothing, and the two of them have a fierce staring contest.   
I look warily between them, not entirely sure what's going on. Did   
Sven find out somehow that were planning to leave?  
  
Suddenly, Natasha begins to speak in a voice filled with spite,   
"You're just in time, Sven," she spits the name as if its poison, "I   
was telling Duo about Galina Nikoleavna."  
  
I expect Sven to smile innocently and ask 'who is Galina, my darling   
Tashka?' or something else affectionately, but instead he surprises   
me by sardonically lifting one eyebrow and merely going, "Oh?"  
  
"You remember Galina, don't you? I do. I remember her. Surprised,   
Sven, that I remember the names of all the little whores you brought   
to bed? Oh, don't give me that look, I might have been a little girl,   
but it wouldn't take a genius to know out you were sleeping with half   
the females, even if they were married."   
  
And still, Sven says nothing in return. Natasha keeps talking, her   
voice just getting angrier, "When did you finally accept the fact I   
would never, ever be part of your schemes? What made you decide I was   
no longer worth the risk? I use to think maybe you loved me, maybe   
even thought of me as more than just some heiress for your power...   
but if you loved me, why would you keep me in those horrible   
hospitals? Why, when you visited, didn't you see how miserable it was   
for me in there?"  
  
"Natasha," Sven says wearily, not bothered by the accusations, "what   
lies have you told yourself now?"  
  
They're both pretty much ignoring me and don't notice when I slide   
out from the covers to, instead, sit cautiously on the side. I can't   
help but feel something bad is about to happen. Natasha looks mad   
enough to... kill.  
  
"Galina was a member of the Double Phoenix. Sven ordered her to kill   
me," Natasha says, looking to me at last.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Heero studied the wooden wall across the street with a look bordering   
passive boredom. It looked innocent, but everyone around him knew   
better. One of the panels, if someone knocked on it, would actually   
be metal and, if that someone had the password, they could enter into   
the labyrinthian complex of the Double Phoenix.  
  
His hopes the police would never find the complex had died yesterday,   
when Relena had gently broke the news that the police had definitely   
found Duo. Before the hour was over, a squad of well-trained   
operatives would burst into the complex to break up the potentially   
dangerous and highly illegal underground group.  
  
And Duo would be found. With Heero no closer to finding out who had   
actually committed the murder and with Relena's hands tied by the   
evidence, the future looked bleak. Unless, through some miracle, Amy   
or the maid rose from the dead and politely informed everyone of who   
had killed them, Duo was going to prison.  
  
Unless he plead insanity. But, Heero wasn't sure if that was really a   
better alternative that jail.  
  
"It's all over..." Heero whispered, looking around at the anxious   
faces of the policemen. They'd allowed him this close to the   
operation because of Relena's arm-twisting. Maybe if Relena broke a   
few arms... No, he couldn't ask her to cast aside all her morals just   
to save Duo.  
  
"It's all over," he repeated silently. Then, feeling as if such   
negative thoughts were a betrayal to Duo, he took back the words.   
What was it the baka had once said? It's not over until the fat   
lady...  
  
sings? dies? explodes? No, sings. Definitely sings. Until she sings.  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
Author's Notes: I was so glad to see that people still remembered   
me after my long removal from writing. Thank you SO much! (Chiizu,   
Diviny, ect!) I wish I had finished this chapter sooner, but at   
least I did technically finish it on Monday (it's 11:56) and I won't   
go to sleep tonight until I post it up!  
It's getting to the end of the story, folks. I have very high   
hopes for actually pulling off the finale before spring break ends.   
Maybe... maybe you'll get a new story out of me? Who knows. Please,   
please, PLEASE feed the muses with some lovely comments!  
  
...gah, both MediaMiner and FFN aren't working. I'll have to post   
later tonight or just wait for first-thing tomorrow! Sowwwwy!!  
  
***IMPORTANT!!!** If you joined my Update ML and did   
not receive an email from me about this latest chapter it means I lost  
your address! I had to reinstall AOL and lost my address book   
Please email me again (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com) and I'll simply re-add   
you to the mailing list. Thank you!  
  
//marks a flashback//  
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2003 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.  
Email me to join my Update ML!   
LSE - Violet Nyte (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)  
shameless plug - visit my website for cool "shtuff"  



	16. Rain Drops

LSE // 3-18-03  
(The Black Queen - Chapter Sixteen: Rain Drops)  
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content  
shounen-ai/yaoi  
  
Rain Drops  
"Galina was a member of the Double Phoenix. Sven ordered her to kill   
me," Natasha says.  
  
I gape at her, then look over to Sven, who just stands there   
passively. "Your own father wanted you dead?" I squeak out in   
amazement, staring at the man with raw contempt.  
  
Sven sighs, "Tashka, what have you been telling these people? They   
seem to be under the impression..." he shakes his head, "Don't you   
remember? Galina died, Tashka. She died along with everyone else.   
Just me and you survived, darling."   
  
He suddenly looks over to meet my horrified stare and says, as if   
Natasha isn't standing next to me, "My poor Natasha, the stress was   
just too much for her. She creates these vivid delusions. She accused   
her doctors once of trying to poison her and refused to eat any of   
the food. She nearly starved herself."  
  
My belief in what Natasha's been telling me wavers, as I remember   
when I met her in the hospital...  
  
//Natasha isn't eating. "That bad?" I ask her, lifting a spork-full   
of the food to my lips. Surprisingly, it's edible.//  
  
//"They must be aware of my comrades plans to free me. They might have   
poisoned my plate." She pokes the food around with her plastic spork,   
to create the illusion she's eating.//  
  
She was so convinced they were trying to kill her...  
  
//She's watching the orderlies and nurses carefully, but with such a   
practiced grace she makes it look casual. I only notice because of my   
training.//  
  
//"Switch plates?"//  
  
//She shakes her head, "They know our plan and poisoned all the food,   
not just my plate."//  
  
//I look out at the other patients, "Won't that kill all of them,   
too?"//  
  
//"Everyone got an extra pill, the anti-poison, before dinner.   
Naturally I didn't get one, but you did. They must not want you   
eliminated." Natasha scans the room, eyes lingering on one of the   
nurses before returning to study her food.//  
  
I swallow, but my mouth's suddenly gone dry. Natasha seems so   
rational, it seems impossible, but what if... what if she made   
everything up? What if she really did need to be placed in a   
hospital? ...what proof do I have that there even is a Double   
Phoenix? The tattoo... but if Sven was trying to cover up his   
involvement, wouldn't he just have had it removed?  
  
Sven keeps talking, ignoring Natasha's furious glare, "Sometimes she   
remembers who she is, but sometimes she just invents these new   
identities. The medication helps, if she'll take it..."  
  
I look to Natasha, then back to Sven. I want to believe her...  
  
"You ordered Galina to kill me," Natasha insists. "Don't listen to   
him, Duo, he's lying. I feared he would try to kill me if I didn't   
play along. I only said those things, did those things, so he   
wouldn't suspect I was capable of resistance."  
  
"Tashka..." Sven just shakes his head slowly, a tired look on his   
face, "Please, I would never want to hurt you. You're my daughter."  
  
The unmistakable sound of a gun being drawn pulls my attention away   
from and Sven and over to Natasha. Her features set grimly, she's   
pulled out a sleek 45 caliber from behind her back. The barrel lifts   
slightly, not really being aimed at anything but just held at ready.   
"I won't listen to your lies anymore," she says firmly, "and I won't   
stay here. My friends and I are leaving. I'm going to tell the police   
everything about you, then you'll go to jail."  
  
"Hey, Natasha," I say quietly, standing up. The room spins   
dangerously, and for I moment all I can see is black. When it fades,   
Natasha merely glances in my direction and lifts her head slightly in   
acknowledgment. All her attention is focused on Sven.  
  
"Why don't you put away the gun. Sven'll let us leave, right?" I   
glance over to the man standing there with a pleading look. I can't   
shake the feeling something's terribly wrong with this entire scene,   
and both of them are making sense. I just don't know what to believe.  
  
"No," Sven says quietly, startling me and, by the way Natasha's hands   
twitch on the gun, she wasn't expecting resistance. "I can't let you   
leave, Tashka. I did not want to alarm you, but... the police are   
outside."  
  
"What?" the color drains from Natasha's face, her grip on the gun   
tightening as it rises fractionally. "You're lying."  
  
My mouth moves without actually producing sound, but then I manage,   
"They're outside? Wha... what are they doing?"  
  
No one answers me. But I don't really need an answer. Obviously, the   
police are here to arrest someone. Most likely me. Actually, everyone   
in the this building has committed some crime, including Wufei and   
Sally. Christ. Christ on a piece of toast. With jelly.  
  
"You should turn yourself in, Tashka. You'll have to go back to the   
institution, but..."  
  
Natasha lets out a tight, almost nervous laugh, "Oh, you'd like that   
wouldn't you? That would just take of everything. Send me back to the   
hospitals," she snorts most unattractively. Her face hardens, and she   
lifts the gun higher, so its pointed at Sven's chest. She gestures   
slightly to one side, tense, jerking motions, "You called the police,  
didn't you? You knew I was in trouble it the law. You're just trying   
to get me sent back; you'll do anything, won't you? All these people   
are going to get put into jail because of you!"  
  
"Natasha," I say urgently, cautiously setting my hand on her arm.   
"Wouldn't the police arrest Sven, too?"  
  
Her eyes narrow, but for a moment she doesn't know to say. Her mouth   
finally quirks into a triumphant smile, "He made a deal with them.   
'I'll give you the Double Phoenix and Duo Maxwell if you don't   
prosecute me.' Is that how it went, Sven?"  
  
"Tashka, I didn't call the police."  
  
That I can believe, because it doesn't make sense for him to ruin all   
of his world-domination plans, or whatever the hell the Double   
Phoenix is trying to accomplish. There are a thousand different ways   
for the police to have found us, the simplest being a long-standing   
search for the underground group. Or following Wufei, but I don't   
know why they'd wait so long to finally snatch us all up.  
  
I try again, almost tugging on Natasha's arm, "Is there a back exit?   
Some way we can get out without alerting the police?" I want her to   
put down the gun, but there's no way I can get it from her with force.  
  
Before she can answer, there's a distant explosion and the lights   
flicker. The police must be trying to just eliminate the walls...   
From the hallway, there are shouts, and young man bursts in with his   
gun drawn shouting, "Letoivsky, sir the --"  
  
That's all the man gets out, because Natasha startles and squeezes   
the trigger as her aims flinches off from Sven. The recoil snaps her   
arm back and I jerk my hands up to my ears with a wince. Whatever   
words the man was going to say are interrupted by the bloom of   
crimson sprouting from the bullet hole in his chest.  
  
"Na-natasha!" I squeak out, shocked. She's staring at the fallen   
body, horror mingling with disbelief equally on her face.  
  
"Natasha, drop the gun," Sven orders, all sense of father-ness gone   
from his voice. He smoothly draws a gun and cocks the hammer back,   
barrel pointed right to her face.   
  
I make a sound that could only qualify as stunned, but Natasha seems   
to recover her composure and only laughs. "You don't scare me, Sven.   
I swear to God that if you shoot me, I'll shoot you back, even if I   
no longer have a head!"  
  
I hold my breath, hardly daring to disrupt the tense scene before me.   
Finally, Sven smiles grimly and starts to move his aim...  
  
to me!  
  
I reflexively take a step back, even though it won't matter in the   
slightest should he decide to fire. I stare, transfixed, at the   
barrel aimed right for my chest and feel a bubble of hysterical   
laughter building. I quell the urge and instead opt for raising shaky   
fingers and running them through the snarl of my bangs.  
  
"Are you willing to risk his life, Natasha? Come over here, Duo,"   
Sven orders. His voice carries an impressive amount of command, but I   
don't leap to obey because of that. He's got a gun, for Christ's sake!  
I've been shot at enough times for one person.   
  
And I know: third time's the charm.  
  
Natasha's face is frozen but for her eyes, which slowly follow me   
across the room. Sven takes me by the elbow and keeps the gun nestled   
against my head. "Why don't you put the gun down, Natasha."  
  
She hesitates. Oh, sweet lord, why is she hesitating? In the tense   
silence, I can hear the distant sounds of gunfire and shouting.   
Footsteps ring off the metal floors and, suddenly, Wufei and Sally   
are in the hallway. Sven's watching Natasha and doesn't seem them,   
and it takes every ounce of self control not to react.  
  
Sally, unfortunately, can't help but let out a startled, "Duo?"  
  
Wufei has his shiny glock in one hand.  
  
I swear, it's slow motion.   
  
Three different guns adjust their aim as Sven turns to look down the   
hallway. All three guns fire, Natasha and Wufei both aiming for Sven,   
who in turn shoots at Wufei.  
  
Slow motion, seriously.  
  
Caught in the cross-fire, it's a miracle that none of the bullets hit   
me instead of their intended targets. The only bullet that does find   
its target, though, is Sven's. Wufei lets out a cry and drops fluidly   
to the floor, blood already staining the front of his shirt.  
  
"Wufei!" Sally and I both shout, but hers is more of a wail. She goes   
to her knees beside him. She's a doctor, I remind myself, if... if   
the bullet didn't hit...  
  
Sven grabs me roughly by the arm and drags me down the hall, the tip   
of his gun pressed into my side should I get any ideas. As we pass, I   
try to get a look at Wufei, but all I can see is the blood. Natasha   
lets out a shout and starts to follow, but Sven throws us both   
through a doorway and slams the door shut.  
  
Only adrenaline is keeping the wavering haze of darkness away. I'm   
not recovered enough for this. Definitely not recovered enough.   
Natasha's banging on the door, whatever she's shouting muffled by the   
metal. She stops, though, quite suddenly, and its silent but for the   
distant sound of gunfire. That would be the police.  
  
"You should just... just let me go, right?" I ask nervously, eyeing   
Sven warily. He's either the cold monster of Natasha's stories or   
just a misunderstood leader of an underground fanatic group that once   
attacked Oz. And, in theory, an enemy of Oz is good. In theory.  
  
Sven doesn't answer and simply grabs my elbow again and starts   
running down the labyrinthian complex of hallways and doorways. I can  
only assume he's heading for the exit. I stumble beside him, to   
exhausted to even contemplate making a run for it.   
  
Where could I go, anyway?  
  
After what seems forever, but its probably not, Sven drags me through   
one last door and then... we're outside. Facing the brick wall of a   
grubby alley. I can still detect the faint sounds of the skirmish,   
but they're very distant. The police aren't likely to anywhere   
around, because I can guarantee that neither building beside us is   
actually connected to the compound.   
  
I remember stairs. Lots of hallways, and stairs.  
  
It takes me a full minute to realize that Sven's gun is no longer   
pressed against my side. Instead, its merely pointed in my general   
direction as Sven studies the alley. This is the perfect opportunity.  
  
I'm going to kick the gun away.  
  
That's so easier said then done. It's a risky move even if I could   
feel my feet, which I can't. I lost contact with my limbs some time   
ago. I am not entirely sure why I'm even standing.   
  
I should be passed out.  
  
But, this is the perfect opportunity.   
  
One.  
  
Two.  
  
Jesus, I hope he doesn't kill me.  
  
Three!  
  
Spin, kick, success! The gun goes skittering across the grimy cement   
to be lost in the piles of garbage against one wall. Sven just stares   
at me for a moment, and I grin foolishly in return.  
  
Go, Maxwell. Go, Maxwell.  
  
"I knew I'd find you here," the garbage says.  
  
Wait, no, there's a person. The person detaches from the shadows and   
walks over, the glint of steel revealing a shiny 45 caliber.   
  
Natasha.  
  
Suddenly, that's it. Pulling off that kick did it. Everything spins,   
and the concrete comes up to meet me. It's cold and smooth against my   
cheek despite being revoltingly dirty. It's very wet, and I'm just   
going to tell myself it rained recently.  
  
"Duo!" Natasha cries, probably wondering if Sven shot me somewhere   
along the line in our little fleeing escape. I manage to sit more or   
less upright and groan as the world keeps spinning.  
  
There's this dark flash of movement and -- that would be Sven. Moving   
towards Natasha while she was distracted by me. The gun's settled   
harmlessly in one hand at her side. As Sven moves towards her, blue   
eyes widen and the gun jerks up, but it's too late.  
  
Natasha shouts as his hand closes over her arm and the gun keeps   
going up, past it's intended target of Sven's head. They topple   
backwards, against the brick wall.  
  
Everything's moving so fast, the world's spinning.  
  
Overheard, thunder rumbles ominously. The grey sky opens and big, fat   
rain drops begin to fall. They fall on my head and face and on   
Natasha and Sven, who are still struggling over the gun and shouldn't   
I be helping Natasha?   
  
But, I'm so tired....  
  
For some reason, I look over to the alley entrance. Across the   
street, I see a lone figure standing there in the rain, looking up as   
if amazed there is rain.  
  
Something is very familiar... and then, it hits me.  
  
"Heero!"  
  
The unmistakable sound of a 45 caliber handgun being shot at close   
range suddenly overpowers my yell.   
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
Author's Notes: Oh, cliffhangers. I feel very evil right now. Feed   
the muses lots of lovely feedback or they might get mad! I've got the   
whole rest of this week devoted to nothing but writing. I have every   
intention of finishing this fic BEFORE my spring break ends. Which,   
actually, shouldn't be that hard!  
Again, a HUGE thank you to Ebony for being so darn spiffy. Thanks to   
everyone who left me feedback, it means SO much to me just to know   
people are out there who read this stuff.  
  
...don't you just love cliffhangers?  
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!  
copyright 2003 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.  
Email me to join my Update ML!   
LSE - Violet Nyte (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)  
shameless plug - visit my website for cool "shtuff"  



	17. Void

LSE // 3-19-03   
(The Black Queen - Chapter Seventeen: Void)   
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content   
shounen-ai/yaoi   
Void  
|  
None of the police noticed when Heero slipped out from their company.   
It was too late for him to try and warn Duo anyways; gunfire echoed   
off the streets as testimony to the fierce fighting going on inside  
the facility. Heero absently traced the outline of his glock before   
turning and walking away from the skirmish.  
  
No more than a few blocks away, he paused and looked up at the sky   
ominously grey sky. Thunder rolled across the clouds opened up,   
spitting down rain. It wouldn't be enough to eliminate the fire,  
which has resulted from the explosives they had used to break down   
the walls, but maybe the rain would contain the inferno. Already,   
fire fighters worked on keeping the flames from spreading.  
  
But all that was behind him as he stared up at the sky. If they   
didn't find Duo within... If they did... Heero sighed.  
  
Someone shouted his name and, for a moment, he couldn't figure out   
who would calling with such frantic... And the voice was... Heero   
turned his head towards the noise and felt his jaw drop. No doubt,   
sitting there in the alley across the street was Duo.  
  
Duo!  
  
A single gunshot exploded through the fading sounds of Duo's yell and   
Heero sprung into action. He drew out the glock with a quickly   
breathed thanks he had even bothered to bring the firearm.   
  
Duo fell back and Heero assumed the worst.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Sa-sally?!" came a shocked squeal that could only belong to a   
certain Miss Relena Peacecraft.  
  
Sally turned her head towards the sound and felt surge of hope only  
slightly less than the one she'd felt and discovering Wufei's heart   
hadn't been blown apart by a bullet. "Onna," grumbled the Chinese man   
in question, his head lifting slightly from against Sally's shoulder.   
  
She didn't know how long she had knelt in that hallway with her   
jacket pressed against the wound, hoping to staunch the flow of   
blood. The bullet had missed its intended mark and had shot through   
the shoulder, miraculously only shattering the collar bone before   
passing through. She couldn't leave Wufei to get help and, even if   
she could, she hadn't the faintest idea where the exit was.  
  
Soldiers ran past the connecting corridors for what seemed forever   
before, finally, a group of police had approached her. Unfortunately,   
they didn't believe her when she tried to explain that she and Wufei   
were not members of the Double Phoenix. The bastards hadn't gotten a   
stretcher, and she was forced to simply tied the jacket around the   
wound as best as possible and help Wufei stumbling out.  
  
Wufei, of course, hated the fact he was being supported by a woman.   
Sally relished his anger with a twisted appreciation that, if Wufei   
could still curse at her in Chinese (and English. He had an   
impressive vocabulary in both languages...) he couldn't be that   
seriously injured.  
  
"Sally!" Relena called again, hurrying over despite the obvious   
objections from her assistants, who exchanged anxious looks. "Wufei?   
What on earth..."  
  
This was obvious going to take some explaining, which Sally really   
didn't have the time to spend on. Fortunately, the police that were   
'escorting' her from the building snapped to attention. Since the   
fact Relena hadn't screamed for Sally's head on a stick, she had to   
be telling the truth.   
  
A rush of paramedics appeared and started to transfer Wufei to a   
stretcher. Since the attending paramedics were all female, Sally   
was   
sure Wufei was being placed in the best of hands.   
  
"Sally," Relena said in a low whisper, trying to look casual and   
failing, "Have you seen Duo?"  
  
"Not recently..." Sally brushed damp bangs off from her face. It had   
started to rain, big fat drops that were rapidly picking up in speed.  
  
"Have you..." Relena bit her lip nervously, "seen Heero?"  
  
Sally shook her head and was getting ready to follow Wufei's   
stretcher before gunfire echoed off the streets. That wouldn't have   
been anything special if it hadn't have come from the wrong direction.  
  
And Sally knew, deep down she just knew...  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The pain is more of a surprise than an actual worry, and it's not   
until I realize I'm staring at the sky that I even know I'm laid out.   
I'm still alive, at least, for the moment, so it must not... I force   
myself to sit back up and, halfway through the struggle, hands   
suddenly grab my shoulders and help me up.  
  
"Heero!" I cry, but only half of its even audible. The rest is lost   
into the fabric of Heero's shirt as he clutches me tightly to him. I   
start to throw my arms around him in return, but a shooting pain in   
my left arm stops the action.   
  
The bullet just grazed the fleshy part of my upper arm, for which I'm   
grateful. I was sincere in not wanting Sally to have to fetch out   
another bullet. As much as I want to just lean against Heero and be   
comforted by the soft scent of fabric softener (obviously, he has not   
been doing his own laundry...) there are more pressing matters.  
  
Heero beats me to it, though, stands quickly. I'm not sure I could   
even get my legs to move, much less have them actually support me,   
so   
I opt to remain sitting.  
  
Neither Natasha nor Sven has a strong grip on the gun, which remains   
deadlocked between them. Suddenly, Natasha yells something that   
sounds suspiciously like a profanity and uses Sven's surprise to try   
and wrench the gun free. He deflects her, though, and pushes her   
away. She's thrown against the wall and slides down into the stacked   
garbage, but I can see she's not seriously injured.  
  
"Ha!" Natasha cried in triumph, springing to her feet. For the   
longest time, Sven and I both just stare at her, both of us probably   
thinking the exact same thing. Where'd she get that gun? Suddenly, I   
realize that it is the one I kicked out of Sven's hands earlier.   
  
And I'm not sure if its a good thing Natasha found it.  
  
Sven recovers from his surprise quickly. His grip on the guns   
tightens and one finger slowly closes over the trigger. Eyes dart   
between Heero and Natasha before locking on me. Maybe he's going to   
try and take my hostage again, but it'd be suicide with Heero   
standing right over my shoulder. But he doesn't know who Heero is...   
does he?  
  
Natasha reacts first. I see her take careful aim. Heero, too, aims,   
and instantly I know at least two guns are going to fire. I just hope   
Sven either forgets to fire or misses.  
  
I brace for whatever may come; most likely a bullet in my face.  
  
Only one shot rings out.  
  
Sven drops to the floor, the gun clattering harmlessly away.  
  
Natasha's gun clicks as she tries again to fire. She frowns.  
  
Heero lowers his aim with a contented 'Hn' sound.  
  
"Ah...ah..." Natasha makes a distressed sound, like a wounded animal.   
She turns the gun in her hands, staring at it in horror. Slowly, she   
flicks open the chamber. A look of disbelief crosses her face as she   
spins it, slowly, then with a frantic haste.  
  
An unearthly wail rises from her throat as the gun is aside and she   
falls into a kneel beside Sven. I reach out and pick up the gun,   
staring at the empty chamber.  
  
It wasn't even loaded.  
  
Sven's gun wasn't even loaded.  
  
"Papa!" Natasha cries, "Papa!" The last of the cry is lost to a   
strangled sob as she grabs his shoulders and gently shakes the limp   
body. From where I'm at, I can easily see Heero's shot didn't miss   
its target. A large crimson patch is on Sven's chest, which is   
spreading, assisted by the rapidly increasing amount of rain.  
  
"I'm so sorry. Please, papa!"  
  
His empty eyes stare up at the sky.   
  
They're already beginning to cloud over.  
  
"Papa..." Natasha sobs, her hands going still. Rain and tears mingled   
on her face, which is white as paper. "Papa..."  
  
I stand, meaning to walk over to her, but my feet protest and I end   
up swaying back against Heero. He grabs at my elbow, steadying me.  
  
Footsteps pound down out and shouts as a squad of police burst into   
the alleyway. Recognition is instant, and I know for a fact there's   
no way I'm going to escape.  
  
Even if I wanted to.  
  
I'm just so tired.  
  
It's quiet but for Natasha's sobs and the patter of rain.   
  
The world goes black and I collapse against Heero. He catches me and   
we both sink to the ground. His face hovers above mine, pale against   
the darkness. Blind fear is written across his face, "Duo..."  
  
But I'm just so tired.  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
Author's Notes: the end!  
...okay, okay, there's an epilogue. I'm working on it now.  
Again, massive thank you to Ebony. Seriously, I worship her!  
...::goes back to typing::  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!   
copyright 2003 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.   
Email me to join my Update ML!   
LSE - Violet Nyte (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)   
shameless plug - visit my website for cool "shtuff"   



	18. Spark

LSE // 3-20-03   
(The Black Queen - Epilogue: Spark  
rated: PG13 - violence, language, content   
shounen-ai/yaoi   
  
Spark  
|  
"In a press conference earlier today, a spokesperson for the   
Peacecraft estate reported that they were pleased with the   
investigations done by the police thus far. The information handed   
over from an anonymous source last week combined with the raid on..."  
  
Heero flipped the channel without a significant result. Every news   
station was running the same story.   
  
"So far international reports have concluded that at least three   
other Double Phoenix-related organizations have been broken up..."  
  
Something told him that no one bothered to sign up for digital cable.   
The only station that didn't have anything news-related was the   
Bowling for Jesus network. Heero promptly returned to the news.  
  
"The primary suspect in the killings was Duo Maxwell, a former Gundam   
pilot and guest of the Peacecraft estate. Relena and her spokes-people  
have adamantly denied that Maxwell, wanted in conjunction with an   
escape from a mental institution, was ever received by the Peacecraft   
estate. However, the charges again Maxwell no longer include the   
deaths of Galina Nikolaevna and Amy Thomas, formerly known by her   
street name of 'Amethyst.' The District Attorney has issued a   
statement clarifying the actions taken in the matter..."  
  
"Heero?"  
  
The screen promptly went blank as Heero rose from the couch and   
walked over to where Quatre was standing. "Are you ready?" the blonde  
asked quietly, glancing towards the now-silent television.  
  
"Hn," Heero replied with the slightest of nods. He started to follow   
Quatre out to car, but paused just on the doorway and suddenly turned  
back into the house. A moment later, he came back with a rectangular   
package, the plain brown paper tied with a single string.  
  
"What's that?" Quatre asked once he'd backed the car out of the   
driveway and was already heading out of the neighborhood.  
  
"Just something Duo wanted me to bring," he mumbled back, looking   
intently out the window to discourage conversation. The rest of the   
trip was made in silence, Quatre forcing himself to merely shoot   
concerned glances out from the corner of his eye.   
  
As the car turned into the long driveway, Heero barely suppressed the   
chilling shudder than ran through him. The building, three stories   
high and made of a white-washed brick, didn't especially look   
threatening, even with the tall, cast-iron fencing that was probably   
more for show that practical purposes.  
  
Quatre stopped at the gate and waited for the politely smiling guard   
to approach. "Hello," the woman said with a practiced nod, "and   
welcome to the East River hospital. Do you have an appointment?"  
  
"Yes," Quatre replied, "we're expected."  
  
"Okay, then," the woman said with another smile, "the name?"  
  
"Winner, just like it sounds... and Yuy. Y-U-Y..." Quatre tried to   
peer at the clipboard but failed. The woman finally nodded and   
stepped back, motioning them through as the gates swung open.  
  
"High security," Heero muttered, the tone a mix of scorn and hesitant   
approval. Quatre scarcely contained a sigh and parked in one of the   
spots marked 'visitor.'   
  
Inside, it didn't take long to locate the check-in desk and get   
large, laminated tags that clearly stated VISITOR in bright red ink.   
The nurse behind the counter quickly signed them in and pointed to   
one of the hallways, her smiling face giving the directions. Quatre  
nodded and thanked her since Heero seemed content to be giving   
everyone his Death Glare.  
  
"You didn't have to come," Heero pointed out sullenly, clutching the   
package to him almost protectively, but neither check-in nurse or   
anyone else seemed inclined to question him about it.  
  
Aqua eyes studied him carefully before answering, "You're right. I   
didn't have to," Quatre said quietly before walking down the   
indicated corridor. Heero had no choice but to follow, since he   
hadn't been paying attention to the nurse's instructions.  
  
Although he'd rather not admit it, even to himself, Heero felt the   
strongest and most irrational nervousness. He shifted the package,   
taking the briefest of comforts from the dimensions and the crinkle   
of the brown wrappings. To distract himself from the twisted knot in   
his chest, he asked, "Have you heard from Wufei lately?"  
  
Quatre glanced over, the slightest hint of surprise visible before   
the features smoothed out and he gave a nod, "The doctors say he'll   
have full use of his arm before too long. He called Sally a pathetic   
onna-weakling, she called him a boorish pig. I think they're in love."  
  
Heero was very sorry he'd asked.  
  
"Which room did the nurse say...Heero, did you catch that?"  
  
Quatre received a glare in return.  
  
"No, I guess you didn't... Oh. Here it is," Quatre lifted one hand   
and pushed on the already half-open door.  
  
"Oh, hey guys," Duo said brightly, hopping off from the bed, "it's   
about time you got here."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
For the most illogical of reasons, I'm terribly relieved to see that   
the walls are a pristine white. I'm also terribly sure that any   
relation to quality of care and wall color is purely coincidental,   
but that doesn't stop me from being happy the walls are white. Not   
even off-white or egg shell, but pure, bright, white.  
  
The nurses, too, are wearing white starched uniforms along with   
bright, white smiles and un-scuffed, white tennis shoes.   
Unfortunately, the cleanliness also lends the place the most boring   
atmosphere. Well, I'll change that soon enough!  
  
In the common room, the television's turned to one of the local   
channels despite the fact it's still showing news coverage. It looks   
like a repeat of the press conference Relena gave earlier. As much as   
I don't like the girl, she's done a great job smoothing the whole   
affair over. What's getting out to the public or more-or-less the   
trust, or, at least, the truth as I understand it.  
  
"We couldn't be more pleased with the work the police have done so   
far in this matter," Relena says.  
  
They were never able to find any documents linking Sven to Galina,   
but Natasha's version of the events was the one Relena decided to go   
with. She fulfilled her promise and made me out to be a hero;   
unfortunately, that meant someone had to be the villian. However, it   
meant I came out looking okay and possessing my freedom... even if   
it's a limited freedom.  
  
Actually, I'm incredibly lucky all I got was a comparatively easy,   
slap on the wrist sort of punishment.   
  
A psych evaluation, a few good words from Relena (which I suspect may   
have bordered on the near-side of illegal...) and... I'm free.  
  
Free.  
  
Completely free... except for I've got some probation stuff to deal   
with. I have to stay on Earth for one year and in the Sanc kingdom   
for at least six months. Okay, I can deal. No problem-o.  
  
I finger the laminated badge on my shirt for a few seconds, relishing   
the fact that is says VISITOR. Almost, if I squint and just pretend,   
I can tell myself that it says SANE.  
  
SANE.  
  
IN.  
  
VISITOR.  
  
I shake my head, letting the badge fall back and moving away from the   
common room. The doctors wanted to see me before letting me just   
wander around the hospital and, from their hints, I take it I'm not  
even suppose to just wander. But, I have my nice VISITOR badge, so   
there's not much they can do to me.  
  
I can't believe what they've told me anyways. It can't be true.  
  
After collapsing in the alley, I don't remember anything until waking   
up with Relena in heated debate with her public relations   
representatives and Wufei mumbling Chinese curses. The next few days   
are a confusing blur of pain and fear.  
  
Somehow, though, everything got worked out. Quatre, apparently, came   
over from L4 to help get things arranged. I can't help but assume   
he played some part in this nice, white hospital and the nice, cozy  
home me and Heero are now living in. He denies it, though, and   
refuses to take whatever meager installment plans I offer to pay him   
back. He's just a nice guy that way.  
  
The doctors have to be wrong...  
  
I find the right room and knock lightly on the door. A feminine voice   
answers and I push the door open hesitantly.  
  
"Hello," she says cheerfully. She's sitting on the bed with her legs   
dangling over the side. It takes me a moment to realize why she looks   
so different -- she's not wearing all black. Instead, she's dressed   
simply in a pair of jeans with a blue shirt, both of which look brand   
new. Only I would notice she's wearing black socks.  
  
Black socks they never get dirty   
the longer you wear them   
the blacker they get...   
  
I smile gently, moving into the room to sit beside her on the bed.   
There are no chairs, just the bed against one wall with a night   
stand and dresser made from what looks like molded plastic. She   
moves over to give me room, tilting her head slightly in a quizzical   
fashion. Pale blue eyes, muted and dulled with medication, reguard me   
with a friendly enough look.   
  
I look around the sparsely decorated room, for a moment before   
answering. I have to prove the doctors wrong, "Hey, Natasha..."  
  
My heart thumps when the faintest of recognition flashed in her eyes   
before they dull out into the same flat look. She frowns, tilting her  
head again, "I'm sorry, but I don't know you..."  
  
She smiles and a shiver runs down my spine. Even though the doctors   
told me... I didn't want to believe them.  
  
//"Miss Letoivsky's certainly an interesting case," the doctor, a   
middle-aged man that I instantly take a strong dislike to, says. "She   
definitely has signs of a dissociative disorder. However, I'm   
reluctant to actually qualify her as having amnesia..."//  
  
//"And that means..." I say impatiently, not understanding a word of   
the technically mumbo.//  
  
//"Quite frankly, she doesn't remember who she is anymore. From her   
file, I see she has a long history of delusions, but this seems to be   
more structurally traumatizing. She's created a new identity for   
herself, its actually very convincing. If I didn't know better, I   
would assume she's just as sane as you or I."//  
  
//"So..." I don't bother to conceal my look of disbelief. "She's...   
multiple personalities...//  
  
//"No," the doctor says with a frown, looking to me as if I'm   
completely daft, "that's not it at all. She still goes by Natasha   
Letoivsky and has the same brain waves as before. I'm still not   
complete in my evaluation, but suffice to say, she most likely   
won't recognize you."//  
  
//"Will she..."//  
  
//"Ever recover? It's possible she may regain a few memories once the   
psychology trauma has worn off, but she'll never be able to rejoin   
society. Her delusions are too strong, and in her file it says she   
has a clear record of paranoia. And, violence," he looks at me with   
an 'I know about you' kinda stare.//   
  
I disliked him immediately.  
  
And I didn't believe him.  
  
Now, looking at her vacant look...  
  
I swallow the lump in my throat and force a smile, but before I can   
say anything her gaze suddenly shifts down and her hands reach out.   
Delicate, pale fingers close over the fine gold chain around my neck   
and pulls out my cross and the chess piece from under the shirt.   
"What's this?" she asks, her eyes rising up to meet mine once more.  
  
"A chess piece," I answer, striving to keep my voice steady.  
  
"A black queen? That's a rather unusual necklace," she says with a   
slight laugh, letting the chain fall back against my chest. "I like   
to play chess," she says softly, fingers intertwining in her lap as  
she gazes down at them.  
  
Voices drift in from the hallway and the door is pushed fully open.   
Quatre and Heero are standing there, and I'm happy to see Heero   
remembered to bring the package I asked for. "Oh, hey, guys," I say   
with a false cheer, standing up, "it's about time you got here."  
  
"It took a while to find the room," Quatre offers as an excuse. "Are   
you about ready to go?"  
  
"In a minute," I walk over and pluck the package from Heero's grip.   
He's watching Natasha, and she's looking at him with the same vacant   
look. No recognition, even though it was Heero's bullet that...  
  
"We'll be out in the car," Quatre promises, turning away.  
  
Heero, instead of following, reaches out and pulls me into a tight   
embrace, and I'm surprised by the near desperate quality to it.   
"I love you, baka," he whispers, and releases me before I can even   
give a half-coherent reply.   
  
And then he's sulking down the hallway after Quatre. It's not until   
Natasha makes a faint 'Awww' sort of sound that I even remember she's   
sitting there, watching. Blushing, I go back over and hand the   
package over to her, "Here. I brought you something."  
  
Her mouth twitches into an excited smile and she eagerly pulls the   
paper off. "You shouldn't have... Oh!" she inhales softly, reverently   
lifting the box lid to reveal the chess board and pieces. "Oh, oh   
thank you! But, I don't even know your name..."  
  
"Duo," I say quickly.   
  
She nods and sets the board on her night stand, carefully arranging   
the pieces. "Would you like to play?" she asks, looking over to me   
hopefully. She smiles, then adds, "I call black."  
  
And there's a spark in her eyes.  
  
"I can't, I have to go..." her face falls and the sparks wavers, so I   
hurry to assure her, "but I'll come back, okay? We can play then."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"Promise. And... and I always keep my promises."  
  
Natasha smiles, "Me too."  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
Author's Notes: I wrote "Completing the Silence" in just thirteen   
days. It took me nearly five months to write the sequel. That, my   
friends, is what school does to me. (and other not-so-fun things, but   
that's an entirely different rant) But, whatever, I get out of school   
in May, so assuming I can survive the next nine weeks, viola!  
  
I'm not sure what I'm going to work on next... I have a few WIPs that   
I should really attend to, but I dunno *shrug*  
  
I don't have enough room to list everyone, but suffice to say, if you   
ever just took the time to tell me "good job!" or even just to let me   
know you were out there reading; Thank you. It means the world to me.  
  
And Ebony, my muse, my beta, my friend. This one's for you. Thanks.  
  
Feedback/reviews are very much appreciated!   
copyright 2003 - Gundam Wing and characters copyright other people.   
Email me to join my Update ML!   
LSE - Violet Nyte (ManzokuBiscuit@aol.com)   
shameless plug - visit my website for cool "shtuff"   



End file.
